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Cay
How to Pronounce Cay
Pronounced KAY /ΛkeΙͺ/High
Meaning: Cay is a spelling of Kay, the crisp short form of Katherine, from the Greek 'katharos', 'pure'. Kay also stands alone as a bright single-letter-sounding name, and the C spelling gives it a slightly different look; the word 'cay', a small island, is a separate coincidence.Low
Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880βpresent). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Cay is a variant of Kay, a short form of Katherine, from the Greek 'katharos', 'pure'. Single-syllable and sunny, Kay was fashionable in the mid-twentieth century, and the C spelling simply gives it an individual touch. The identical word for a small island is unrelated.
As a given name it was a rarity, cresting faintly around the mid-nineteen-fifties before fading. It reads as a mid-century short name, breezy and dated, and has not returned.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Cay mean?
Cay is a variant of Kay, a short form of Katherine, from Greek for 'pure'.
How do you pronounce Cay?
It's said KAY /ΛkeΙͺ/ β one syllable, rhyming with 'day'.
Is Cay a boy or girl name?
Cay is used here as a girl's name.
How popular is Cay?
Cay has always been very rare, a short vintage name most seen in the mid twentieth century.