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Home › Baby Names Directory › Klay

Klay

♂ Boy

Pronounced KLAY /ˈkleɪ/Medium

Meaning: Clay settlementMedium

In 30 seconds: Klay is an English name meaning 'clay settlement'.
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Origin MediumEnglish
MeaningClay settlement
U.S. rank (2025)#1882 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births84 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2022
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,615

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202219582025

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

Klay carries the sense of a 'clay settlement', a K-spelled take on the more familiar Clay. It reads as a place-rooted English name with a sharp, modern spelling. NBA champion Klay Thompson, known for his three-point shooting, is its best-known bearer today.

Swapping the C for a K gives the name an updated, distinctive look while keeping its single-syllable punch.

Did you know? Klay is a spelling variant of Clay, so it keeps the same core meaning of 'clay settlement' while changing the visual style.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Klay — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

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Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Klay Thompson (1990–present)
    American NBA player, multiple-time champion and All-Star known for his three-point shooting.

If you like Klay…

Clay— the standard English spelling Klay restyles
Clayton— the fuller form built on the same 'clay settlement' root
Kai— another short K-opening boys' name
Gray— lands in the same popularity range
Bray— a similarly popular pick

Explore names like Klay

By thememodernenglish

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Klay mean?

Klay is usually explained as meaning 'clay settlement' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Klay?

It's commonly said KLAY /ˈkleɪ/.

Is Klay a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Klay is used as a boy name.

How popular is Klay?

In 2024, Klay ranked #2102 in the U.S. for boys, with 71 births recorded.

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