Chay: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

–

among boys

Babies in 2025

named Chay

How common

–

boys born in 2025

Peak year

1992

24 babies

All-time total

429

#9,373 all-time among boys

First recorded

1972

in Social Security records

Chay popularity over time

429 babies have been named Chay since 1972, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure

Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras

BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade	Girls	Boys	Total	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1890s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1900s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1910s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1920s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1930s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1940s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1950s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1960s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1970s	19	68	87	9	–	#3,045
1980s	11	97	108	11	+24%	#3,446
1990s	19	108	127	13	+18%	#3,630
2000s	5	82	87	9	-31%	#4,734
2010s	–	20	20	2	-77%	#8,996
2020s (to 2025)	–	–	–	–	–	–

The story of Chay

Chay is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1972, 429 American babies have been named Chay, about 87% boys and 13% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1992, when 24 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1990s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Chay stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Chay?

The median living Chay is about 34 years old; half are between 24 and 43. An estimated 400 people named Chay are alive in the United States today.

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Chay year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year	Girls	Girls rank	Boys	Boys rank
2025	–	–	–	–
2024	–	–	–	–
2023	–	–	–	–
2022	–	–	–	–
2021	–	–	–	–
2020	–	–	–	–
2019	–	–	–	–
2018	–	–	–	–
2017	–	–	–	–
2016	–	–	8	#8,996
2015	–	–	–	–
2014	–	–	–	–
2013	–	–	–	–
2012	–	–	–	–
2011	–	–	7	#9,800
2010	–	–	5	#12,572
2009	–	–	11	#7,304
2008	–	–	7	#10,040
2007	5	#18,201	8	#9,053
2006	–	–	10	#7,522
2005	–	–	–	–
2004	–	–	10	#7,060
2003	–	–	10	#6,812
2002	–	–	16	#4,734
2001	–	–	10	#6,537
2000	–	–	–	–
1995	–	–	10	#5,561
1990	6	#11,678	12	#4,447
1985	–	–	11	#3,838
1980	–	–	9	#4,192
1975	–	–	5	#5,597
1970	–	–	–	–
1965	–	–	–	–
1960	–	–	–	–
1955	–	–	–	–
1950	–	–	–	–
1945	–	–	–	–
1940	–	–	–	–
1935	–	–	–	–
1930	–	–	–	–
1925	–	–	–	–
1920	–	–	–	–
1915	–	–	–	–
1910	–	–	–	–
1905	–	–	–	–
1900	–	–	–	–
1895	–	–	–	–
1890	–	–	–	–
1885	–	–	–	–
1880	–	–	–	–

Famous people named Chay

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

1 Chay Hews Australian soccer player b. 1976 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Chay, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Chay?

The median living Chay is about 34 years old. Half of all living Chays are between 24 and 43 years old.

How many people named Chay are alive today?

An estimated 400 people named Chay are alive in the United States, based on 429 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Chay mean?

Chay is a masculine name. It is either a diminutive of Charles, ultimately derived from Germanic Karal, Karel, Karl, meaning “man”, or it may be Gaelic in origin, meaning “Fairy Tale”.

How popular is the name Chay in 2025?

Chay did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Chay?

429 babies have been named Chay in the United States since 1972, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Chay most popular?

Chay peaked in 1992, when 24 newborns received the name.

Is Chay a boy or girl name?

Chay is used for both: about 13% of babies named Chay have been girls and 87% boys.

Is the name Chay rising or falling?

Chay has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Chay?

Well-known people named Chay include Chay Hews (soccer player).

Names like Chay

Names that sound and feel close to Chay: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Chay with similar names → More names starting with C →