Shay is an established name used for both girls and boys that peaked in 2021 and remains in steady use.
Shay is predominantly a girl name. In 2025 it ranked #1,227 among girls (184) and #1,989 among boys (77) — overall #1,865 across all names. The charts below show girls and boys separately.
| Year | U.S. births | U.S. + territories | ♀ Rank | ♂ Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 261 | 261 | #1,227 | #1,989 |
| 2024 | 306 | 306 | #1,159 | #1,706 |
| 2023 | 345 | 345 | #1,000 | #1,802 |
| 2022 | 403 | 403 | #914 | #1,693 |
| 2021 | 409 | 409 | #903 | #1,589 |
| 2020 | 364 | 364 | #934 | #1,763 |
| 2019 | 273 | 273 | #1,184 | #1,996 |
| 2018 | 255 | 255 | #1,344 | #1,774 |
| 2017 | 252 | 252 | #1,307 | #1,999 |
| 2016 | 259 | 259 | #1,378 | #1,761 |
| 2015 | 234 | 234 | #1,379 | #2,205 |
| 2014 | 197 | 197 | #1,525 | #2,424 |
| 2013 | 168 | 168 | #1,791 | #2,395 |
| 2012 | 145 | 145 | #2,261 | #2,181 |
| 2011 | 178 | 178 | #1,951 | #1,860 |
| 2010 | 180 | 180 | #1,828 | #2,031 |
| 2009 | 195 | 195 | #1,930 | #1,772 |
| 2008 | 223 | 223 | #1,559 | #1,929 |
| 2007 | 215 | 215 | #1,721 | #1,719 |
| 2006 | 214 | 214 | #1,721 | #1,594 |
| 2005 | 213 | 213 | #1,638 | #1,567 |
| 2004 | 233 | 233 | #1,451 | #1,482 |
| 2003 | 232 | 232 | #1,493 | #1,355 |
| 2002 | 215 | 215 | #1,384 | #1,617 |
| 2001 | 186 | 186 | #1,504 | #1,837 |
| 2000 | 250 | 250 | #1,252 | #1,369 |
| 1999 | 251 | 251 | #1,166 | #1,407 |
| 1998 | 238 | 238 | #1,233 | #1,336 |
| 1997 | 258 | — | #1,173 | #1,189 |
| 1996 | 274 | — | #1,154 | #1,057 |
| 1995 | 290 | — | #1,106 | #981 |
| 1994 | 287 | — | #1,140 | #970 |
| 1993 | 242 | — | #1,324 | #1,032 |
| 1992 | 238 | — | #1,310 | #1,054 |
| 1991 | 271 | — | #1,380 | #837 |
| 1990 | 246 | — | #1,277 | #962 |
| 1989 | 247 | — | #1,273 | #921 |
| 1988 | 234 | — | #1,349 | #842 |
| 1987 | 220 | — | #1,246 | #919 |
| 1986 | 156 | — | #1,402 | #1,197 |
| 1985 | 166 | — | #1,392 | #1,091 |
| 1984 | 164 | — | #1,292 | #1,109 |
| 1983 | 149 | — | #1,316 | #1,217 |
| 1982 | 161 | — | #1,291 | #1,178 |
| 1981 | 195 | — | #1,157 | #1,028 |
| 1980 | 221 | — | #1,062 | #966 |
| 1979 | 175 | — | #1,391 | #959 |
| 1978 | 178 | — | #1,181 | #1,038 |
| 1977 | 142 | — | #1,633 | #979 |
| 1976 | 156 | — | #1,306 | #987 |
| 1975 | 172 | — | #1,190 | #959 |
| 1974 | 208 | — | #958 | #922 |
| 1973 | 194 | — | #1,025 | #903 |
| 1972 | 181 | — | #1,015 | #1,005 |
| 1971 | 204 | — | #894 | #1,107 |
| 1970 | 202 | — | #958 | #976 |
| 1969 | 91 | — | #1,663 | #1,300 |
| 1968 | 66 | — | #2,084 | #1,387 |
| 1967 | 39 | — | #2,313 | #2,586 |
| 1966 | 40 | — | #2,649 | #1,880 |
| 1965 | 41 | — | #2,057 | #3,211 |
| 1964 | 32 | — | #3,090 | #2,297 |
| 1963 | 41 | — | #2,350 | #2,284 |
| 1962 | 42 | — | #2,251 | #2,348 |
| 1961 | 36 | — | #2,818 | #2,136 |
| 1960 | 23 | — | #4,129 | #2,521 |
| 1959 | 14 | — | #4,575 | #4,493 |
| 1958 | 7 | — | #5,318 | — |
| 1957 | 20 | — | #3,128 | #4,473 |
| 1956 | 6 | — | #5,853 | — |
| 1955 | 5 | — | #6,570 | — |
| 1954 | 11 | — | #5,650 | #4,292 |
| 1953 | 7 | — | #4,962 | — |
| 1932 | 5 | — | — | #4,216 |