Total births
205
Unisex name · since 1939
Tay
Since 1939, U.S. Social Security records show 205 babies named Tay, peaking in 2001. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #8423
- among boys today
- 205
- born since 1939
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 41%
- more common than other boys
Tay currently ranks #8423 among unisex names in America, with 205 babies recorded since 1939.
Social Security Administration records show Tay recorded 205 times among boys since 1939, holding rank #8423 nationally today, ahead of 41% of boys, peaking in the 2000s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1939 to 2025.
- #8423 among boys today
- 205 born since 1939
- 2000s peak decade
- 41% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Tay is currently the #8423 unisex name in America, more common than 41% of boys - 205 born since 1939, peaking in the 2000s.
- #8423
- among boys today
- 205
- born since 1939
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 41%
- more common than other boys
Tay vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#8423
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 41% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
30% of everyone ever named Tay was born in this single decade.
2001
Single peak year
13 babies were named Tay in 2001 - its busiest year on record.
How Tay compares
205 39th percentile among 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Tay's all-time total is 44% below the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Tay | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 205 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 13 | 23 | 22,252 |
Tay's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Tay splits its recorded history at 2005: 51% of all births land in the more recent half, 49% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1939 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2001 peak of 13 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Tay at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2001
Current rank
#8,423
Active since
1939
Tay popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1939–2025
- Peak year (2001)
- 13
- Annual births at peak, across 87 years of records
Tay popularity over time - girls
55 total births recorded since 1956 (Tay as girls' name)
Tay by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Tay's strongest decade.
62 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 30% of all-time use.
Tay births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1930s 5
1930s
5 births
- 1950s 6
1950s
6 births
- 1960s 18
1960s
18 births
- 1970s 6
1970s
6 births
- 1980s 8
1980s
8 births
- 1990s
1990s
25 births
- 2000s
2000s
62 births
- 2010s
2010s
44 births
- 2020s
2020s
31 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 62 births (30% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Tay? ▼
Tay has been given to 205 babies in the U.S. since 1939, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #8423 as of the latest data. 13 babies were born in 2001, its single highest year.
When was Tay most popular? ▼
Tay was most popular in the 2000s decade with 62 total births. The single peak year was 2001.
Is Tay a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Tay is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 205 births, and as a girl's name it has 55 births.
How long has the name Tay been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Tay since 1939 -- 87 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Tay? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Taylor, Tayden, Tayler, Taylen, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Tay's data
- Tay's usage has stayed within range of its 2000s decade-level peak (62 total births) through the 2020s (31) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Tay
Nearby Names Like Tay
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Tay
Taylor Boy
#665 113,541 births
Tayden Boy
#1660 3,023 births
Tayler Boy
#4485 2,587 births
Taylen Boy
#1519 2,206 births
Tayvon Boy
#4251 1,556 births
Compare Tay side by side: Tay vs Taylor Tay vs Tayden Tay vs Tayler
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Tay
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1939–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Tay: #8423 Unisex Name - 205 Births, Peak 2001." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/tay. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Tay draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.