Fey

♀ Girl

Pronounced FAY /ˈfeɪ/High

Meaning: From the English word fey, 'otherworldly, enchanted, fairy-touched', and closely tied to Fay/Faye, from Old French fae, 'fairy'. Note that in older English usage fey could also carry a sense of 'fated' or 'doomed'; the modern name reads as 'fairy-like'.Low

In 30 seconds: Fey is a one-beat word-name: 'fairy-touched, otherworldly', a cousin of Faye (said 'FAY').

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Origin LowEnglish

MeaningFrom the English word fey, 'otherworldly, enchanted, fairy-touched', and closely tied to Fay/Faye, from Old French fae, 'fairy'. Note that in older English usage fey could also carry a sense of 'fated' or 'doomed'; the modern name reads as 'fairy-like'.

U.S. rank (2024)#13988 → Stable

2024 U.S. births6 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1999

Total births (all-time)≈ 135

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Fey is a word-name meaning 'otherworldly, fairy-touched', sharing a root with Fay and Faye (Old French fae, 'fairy'). Its older English sense — 'fated', 'near death' — has faded from ordinary use, and as a name it lands as light and magical. Rare, single-syllable and modern in feel (said 'FAY').

It appears only rarely in U.S. records, well behind Faye. Rare, short, and enchanted.

Did you know? Fey and Faye come from the same Old French root, fae — 'fairy'. The English adjective fey once also meant 'fated', a shadow the modern name has largely shed; today it reads simply as enchanted (said 'FAY').

Overall data confidence 45%

References — Fey — English word 'fey'; Fay/Faye from Old French fae 'fairy'

Variations

FayFayeFae

Nicknames

FeyFeyie

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Fey…

Faye— the familiar spelling of the fairy name

Wren— a like short nature-touched pick

Maeve— a like one-beat name with old magic

Eve— another spare, luminous short name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Fey mean?

Fey means 'otherworldly, fairy-touched'; it shares a root with Faye, from Old French fae, 'fairy'.

How do you pronounce Fey?

It's said FAY /ˈfeɪ/ — one syllable, rhyming with day.

Is Fey the same name as Faye?

They are close cousins with the same fairy root; Fey is the word-spelling, Faye the traditional given name.

How popular is Fey?

Fey is rare in the U.S.; Faye is the far more familiar form.