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Home › Baby Names Directory › Shay

Shay

♂ Boy

Pronounced SHAY /ˈʃeɪ/Low

Meaning: Anglicized form of Irish Séaghdha, meaning 'admirable, fine, hawk-like'.Low

In 30 seconds: Shay is an Anglicized form of the Irish name Séaghdha, meaning 'admirable', 'fine', or 'hawk-like'.
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Origin LowIrish
MeaningAnglicized form of Irish Séaghdha, meaning 'admirable, fine, hawk-like'.
U.S. rank (2025)#1989 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births77 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1991
Total births (all-time)≈ 5,024

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 199119322025

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

Shay comes from the Irish Séaghdha, a name read as admirable, fine, or hawk-like. The Anglicized spelling makes the older Irish name easier to carry into English use while keeping its meaning. It holds a distinctly Irish character in a short, modern-feeling form.

Shay has a soft, single-syllable sound that works easily as a full name or nickname. Its hawk-like sense gives it a quiet edge beneath the gentle pronunciation.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Shay is 'origin uncertain', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 55%
Behind the Name - Shay — 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

  • ★Shay Given (1976-)
    Irish goalkeeper who played for Newcastle United and the Republic of Ireland
  • ★Shay Mooney (1991-)
    American singer and half of the country duo Dan + Shay

If you like Shay…

Shea— A common alternate Anglicization of the same Irish name Séaghdha.
Seamus— Another Anglicized Irish boy's name with a similar heritage.
Finn— A short Irish boy's name sharing Shay's modern, compact feel.
Conway— lands in the same popularity range
Shaun— a fellow Irish choice

Explore names like Shay

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Shay mean?

Shay is usually explained as meaning 'origin uncertain' and is most often linked with Uncertain tradition.

How do you pronounce Shay?

It's commonly said SHAY /ˈʃeɪ/.

Is Shay a boy or girl name?

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

How popular is Shay?

In 2024, Shay ranked #1701 in the U.S. for boys, with 98 births recorded.

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