May

femaleStatistical record

What official birth registration shows about May: which national registrars published it, in which years, and how its recorded position changed.

No researched meaning, origin or pronunciation yet — what that means.

May: Recorded every year since 1945, it reached #24 in 1956, and it stood at #481 in 2025.

4registrars recorded it
151times a registrar ranked it
81years from first to last
#24highest recorded position
37groupings it qualifies for
12names it appears alongside

What stands out in May's record

Ranked every year since 1945, without a single year missing. Names by continuity of record
Held a top-100 place for 40 years running. Names by top-100 run
Shares a published list with another name across 80 years. Longest shared records

Region

Falling

among girls in England and Wales · 1996–2024

View as table

England and Wales · Girls rank by year
Year	Rank
1996	#514
1997	#545
1998	#577
1999	#515
2000	#527
2001	#496
2002	#469
2003	#523
2004	#559
2005	#446
2006	#436
2007	#325
2008	#385
2009	#387
2010	#352
2011	#414
2012	#493
2013	#515
2014	#576
2015	#643
2016	#567
2017	#683
2018	#778
2019	#737
2020	#631
2021	#654
2022	#630
2023	#637
2024	#610

VerifiedSource: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales.Confidence: high.

See all England and Wales names · Source: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales

What the data shows

FallingEngland and Wales · Girls

Recorded in official data among girls in Norway in 80 of the 81 years from 1945 to 2025.

In 2025: #481 among girls in Norway, #718 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Official data from 4 national registrars across 4 regions, 1945–2025 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources

Popularity journey

First recorded1945
First recorded at #43 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #24 among girls in Norway, in 1956 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #481 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls

May appears in 4 of the published lists Namewise holds. The longest record is Norway · Girls, which has ranked it in 80 years beginning in 1945, and has registered 8,745 births with the name.

May across 4 official records

Each registrar publishes its own list, so these figures are read down a row, never across one. A position in one country is not comparable with a position in another, and Namewise never combines them into a single ranking. The birth counts do not compare across rows either, for a different reason: England and Wales registers roughly thirty times as many births a year as Northern Ireland, so a larger total says which registrar recorded it as much as how widely the name was given.

May's first, highest and most recent recorded position in each official list, with the number of births each registrar registered with the name and its largest single year
Published list	First recorded	Highest	Most recent	Years recorded	Births registered	Most in one year
Norway · Girls	#43 (1945)	#24 (1956)	#481 (2025)	80 of 81	8,745 (1945–2025)	305 (1959)
Republic of Ireland · Girls	#315 (1967)	#262 (2023)	#718 (2025)	34 of 59	255 (1967–2025)	16 (2017)
England and Wales · Girls	#514 (1996)	#325 (2007)	#610 (2024)	29 of 29	2,109 (1996–2024)	137 (2007)
Northern Ireland · Girls	#419 (2009)	#276 (2016)	#407 (2024)	8 of 16	29 (2009–2024)	6 (2016)

May by decade in Norway · Girls

Births registered with the name in each decade of this one list, with the number of years the list covers in that decade. Bars are scaled on births a year, which is the figure that compares between decades — a decade the list only partly covers has a smaller total without being a quieter decade. Figures belong to this registrar alone and do not carry to another.

Births registered with May in Norway · Girls, by decade, with years covered and the average per year
Decade	Births registered	Years covered	A year
1940s	855	5 of 10	171
1950sbusiest	2,472	10 of 10	247
1960s	2,419	10 of 10	242
1970s	1,498	10 of 10	150
1980s	858	10 of 10	86
1990s	371	10 of 10	37
2000s	162	10 of 10	16
2010s	71	9 of 10	8
2020s	39	6 of 10	7

Across Norway · Girls, the 1950s were its busiest decade, averaging 247 births a year.

See the names Norwayhas recorded the most births with →

May appears in

Groupings this name qualifies for under their own stated rules, from the same official statistics shown above.

Popularity data

Official popularity data is available for 4 regions, from 1945 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #24 in Norway in 1959.

May's recorded popularity observations by year, region and administrative category, including rank, registered births, source confidence and when each region's data was last reviewed.
Year	Region	Category	Rank	Births registered	Confidence	Status
2024	England and Wales	female	#610	64	High	Verified
2023	England and Wales	female	#637	57	High	Verified
2022	England and Wales	female	#630	60	High	Verified
2021	England and Wales	female	#654	59	High	Verified
2020	England and Wales	female	#631	60	High	Verified
2019	England and Wales	female	#737	52	High	Verified
2018	England and Wales	female	#778	49	High	Verified
2017	England and Wales	female	#683	60	High	Verified
2016	England and Wales	female	#567	74	High	Verified
2015	England and Wales	female	#643	64	High	Verified
2014	England and Wales	female	#576	73	High	Verified
2013	England and Wales	female	#515	81	High	Verified
2012	England and Wales	female	#493	89	High	Verified
2011	England and Wales	female	#414	106	High	Verified
2010	England and Wales	female	#352	130	High	Verified
2009	England and Wales	female	#387	109	High	Verified
2008	England and Wales	female	#385	114	High	Verified
2007	England and Wales	female	#325	137	High	Verified
2006	England and Wales	female	#436	93	High	Verified
2005	England and Wales	female	#446	83	High	Verified
2004	England and Wales	female	#559	56	High	Verified
2003	England and Wales	female	#523	60	High	Verified
2002	England and Wales	female	#469	66	High	Verified
2001	England and Wales	female	#496	59	High	Verified
2000	England and Wales	female	#527	53	High	Verified
1999	England and Wales	female	#515	56	High	Verified
1998	England and Wales	female	#577	46	High	Verified
1997	England and Wales	female	#545	48	High	Verified
1996	England and Wales	female	#514	51	High	Verified
2024	Northern Ireland	female	#407	3	High	Verified
2019	Northern Ireland	female	#424	3	High	Verified
2017	Northern Ireland	female	#355	4	High	Verified
2016	Northern Ireland	female	#276	6	High	Verified
2015	Northern Ireland	female	#426	3	High	Verified
2014	Northern Ireland	female	#365	4	High	Verified
2013	Northern Ireland	female	#440	3	High	Verified
2009	Northern Ireland	female	#419	3	High	Verified
2025	Norway	female	#481	5	High	Verified
2024	Norway	female	#435	6	High	Verified
2023	Norway	female	#422	7	High	Verified
2022	Norway	female	#309	12	High	Verified
2021	Norway	female	#446	5	High	Verified
2020	Norway	female	#502	4	High	Verified
2019	Norway	female	#484	5	High	Verified
2018	Norway	female	#494	5	High	Verified
2016	Norway	female	#534	5	High	Verified
2015	Norway	female	#466	7	High	Verified
2014	Norway	female	#339	13	High	Verified
2013	Norway	female	#450	8	High	Verified
2012	Norway	female	#363	12	High	Verified
2011	Norway	female	#552	5	High	Verified
2010	Norway	female	#390	11	High	Verified
2009	Norway	female	#310	16	High	Verified
2008	Norway	female	#366	12	High	Verified
2007	Norway	female	#277	18	High	Verified
2006	Norway	female	#249	20	High	Verified
2005	Norway	female	#244	22	High	Verified
2004	Norway	female	#348	12	High	Verified
2003	Norway	female	#557	5	High	Verified
2002	Norway	female	#302	14	High	Verified
2001	Norway	female	#252	18	High	Verified
2000	Norway	female	#208	25	High	Verified
1999	Norway	female	#216	23	High	Verified
1998	Norway	female	#204	25	High	Verified
1997	Norway	female	#180	33	High	Verified
1996	Norway	female	#242	19	High	Verified
1995	Norway	female	#177	35	High	Verified
1994	Norway	female	#170	36	High	Verified
1993	Norway	female	#171	37	High	Verified
1992	Norway	female	#179	38	High	Verified
1991	Norway	female	#128	61	High	Verified
1990	Norway	female	#130	64	High	Verified
1989	Norway	female	#112	69	High	Verified
1988	Norway	female	#102	72	High	Verified
1987	Norway	female	#107	68	High	Verified
1986	Norway	female	#86	82	High	Verified
1985	Norway	female	#133	51	High	Verified
1984	Norway	female	#82	90	High	Verified
1983	Norway	female	#81	88	High	Verified
1982	Norway	female	#69	103	High	Verified
1981	Norway	female	#68	110	High	Verified
1980	Norway	female	#57	125	High	Verified
1979	Norway	female	#73	100	High	Verified
1978	Norway	female	#55	132	High	Verified
1977	Norway	female	#48	147	High	Verified
1976	Norway	female	#68	114	High	Verified
1975	Norway	female	#59	141	High	Verified
1974	Norway	female	#62	129	High	Verified
1973	Norway	female	#51	165	High	Verified
1972	Norway	female	#52	168	High	Verified
1971	Norway	female	#43	203	High	Verified
1970	Norway	female	#44	199	High	Verified
1969	Norway	female	#50	186	High	Verified
1968	Norway	female	#43	210	High	Verified
1967	Norway	female	#41	212	High	Verified
1966	Norway	female	#38	235	High	Verified
1965	Norway	female	#35	238	High	Verified
1964	Norway	female	#35	238	High	Verified
1963	Norway	female	#33	239	High	Verified
1962	Norway	female	#28	267	High	Verified
1961	Norway	female	#26	303	High	Verified
1960	Norway	female	#25	291	High	Verified
1959	Norway	female	#24	305	High	Verified
1958	Norway	female	#34	267	High	Verified
1957	Norway	female	#34	266	High	Verified
1956	Norway	female	#24	304	High	Verified
1955	Norway	female	#25	286	High	Verified
1954	Norway	female	#37	242	High	Verified
1953	Norway	female	#37	242	High	Verified
1952	Norway	female	#43	194	High	Verified
1951	Norway	female	#41	188	High	Verified
1950	Norway	female	#41	178	High	Verified
1949	Norway	female	#37	215	High	Verified
1948	Norway	female	#40	172	High	Verified
1947	Norway	female	#41	171	High	Verified
1946	Norway	female	#43	164	High	Verified
1945	Norway	female	#43	133	High	Verified
2025	Republic of Ireland	female	#718	4	High	Verified
2024	Republic of Ireland	female	#342	11	High	Verified
2023	Republic of Ireland	female	#262	15	High	Verified
2022	Republic of Ireland	female	#304	14	High	Verified
2021	Republic of Ireland	female	#299	14	High	Verified
2020	Republic of Ireland	female	#315	13	High	Verified
2019	Republic of Ireland	female	#325	13	High	Verified
2018	Republic of Ireland	female	#361	12	High	Verified
2017	Republic of Ireland	female	#289	16	High	Verified
2016	Republic of Ireland	female	#515	7	High	Verified
2015	Republic of Ireland	female	#402	11	High	Verified
2014	Republic of Ireland	female	#353	13	High	Verified
2013	Republic of Ireland	female	#424	10	High	Verified
2012	Republic of Ireland	female	#677	5	High	Verified
2011	Republic of Ireland	female	#359	13	High	Verified
2010	Republic of Ireland	female	#444	10	High	Verified
2009	Republic of Ireland	female	#488	8	High	Verified
2008	Republic of Ireland	female	#665	5	High	Verified
2007	Republic of Ireland	female	#842	3	High	Verified
2005	Republic of Ireland	female	#523	5	High	Verified
2004	Republic of Ireland	female	#576	4	High	Verified
2003	Republic of Ireland	female	#559	4	High	Verified
2002	Republic of Ireland	female	#512	4	High	Verified
2001	Republic of Ireland	female	#400	6	High	Verified
1999	Republic of Ireland	female	#528	3	High	Verified
1998	Republic of Ireland	female	#498	3	High	Verified
1997	Republic of Ireland	female	#576	3	High	Verified
1994	Republic of Ireland	female	#502	3	High	Verified
1985	Republic of Ireland	female	#386	6	High	Verified
1982	Republic of Ireland	female	#523	3	High	Verified
1980	Republic of Ireland	female	#542	3	High	Verified
1976	Republic of Ireland	female	#497	3	High	Verified
1971	Republic of Ireland	female	#466	3	High	Verified
1967	Republic of Ireland	female	#315	5	High	Verified

England and Wales hub — collected by Office for National Statistics
Northern Ireland hub — collected by NISRA
Norway hub — collected by Statistics Norway (SSB)
Republic of Ireland hub — collected by CSO Ireland

See methodology and data sources for how popularity data is collected and what "confidence" means.

What the record shows

Recorded by 4 registrars between 1945 and 2025, ranked in 81 years of that period.

Its highest recorded position is #24, first reached in 1956.

It held a top-100 place in 41 years, 40 of them consecutive.

Its largest count from any one registrar is 305 births, registered in Norway in 1959.

A second registrar first ranked it in 1967, and 64 years separate the first registrar to record it from the last.

Every figure here is counted from the seven official registrars Namewise holds. A position is only ever a place within the list that published it, and a record that thins or stops is a fact about what registrars printed — never about how many children received the name.

Where to go next

Records with a comparable body of evidence, so the catalogue can be read outward from this one. Each group states the rule it was selected by.

Next in the catalogue

The records either side of this one alphabetically.

Maxx · #699, 27y
Maxymilian · #490, 15y
May-Britt · #92, 47y
May-Liss · #275, 32y

A comparable record

Records held by the same 4 registrars, over a similar number of ranked years, whose highest position is closest to this one. A similar body of evidence — never a claim that the names themselves are alike.

Ivar · #28, 81y
Jon · #19, 81y
Edel · #31, 81y
Kristina · #33, 76y

Also first recorded in the 1940s

Records whose earliest ranking in Namewise's registrar data also falls between 1940 and 1949.

Ronald · #24, 77y
Steffen · #24, 71y
Vibeke · #24, 64y
Egil · #25, 79y

Comparisons involving May

Existing comparison pages where May and another name were ranked in the same published list, in the same years, on the same scale. Each has its own evidence; none of them says the names are alike.

Longest shared records

Names ranked alongside May in the same published list across at least 25 years.

Anna vs May
In 1945 they stood at #38 and #43 in Norway · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #23 and #481.
Anna · May · 80 shared years, 1945–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2025 Norway ranking
Elisabeth vs May
In 1945 they stood at #50 and #43 in Norway · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2025 they were #171 and #481.
Elisabeth · May · 80 shared years, 1945–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2025 Norway ranking
Gunn vs May
In 1945 they stood at #53 and #43 in Norway · Girls, 10 places apart; by 2005 they were #546 and #244.
Gunn · May · 60 shared years, 1945–2005 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2005 Norway ranking

Compared inside Norway lists

Pairs involving May measured in Norway's own published lists — the registrar that recorded May at its highest position.

Laila vs May
Laila and May changed places 18 times in Norway · Girls between 1945 and 2025, ending at #408 and #481.
Laila · May · 79 shared years, 1945–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
See the 2025 Norway ranking
Åse vs May
Åse and May changed places 18 times in Norway · Girls between 1945 and 2025, ending at #93 and #481.
Åse · May · 80 shared years, 1945–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
See the 2025 Norway ranking
Randi vs May
Randi and May changed places 17 times in Norway · Girls between 1945 and 2025, ending at #522 and #481.
Randi · May · 75 shared years, 1945–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
See the 2025 Norway ranking

Norway overview→

May was ranked #24 in Norway · Girls in 1956. These are the names immediately either side of it on that published list — a fact about the registrar's own output, not a similarity judgement.

May and the names beside it

Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale, in the same year, by the same registrar — so these are positions that genuinely passed each other, not a similarity judgement. Drawn from the 2,573 names with a recorded popularity standing (common, familiar, uncommon), so a name outside that set could have passed May without appearing here.

May moved ahead of

Carmel Compare
In 2014 they stood at #677 and #612 in Republic of Ireland · Girls; by 2015 that had become #402 and #896.
Marilyn Compare
In 2014 they stood at #523 and #523 in Republic of Ireland · Girls; by 2015 that had become #402 and #896.
Denise Compare
In 2012 they stood at #677 and #612 in Republic of Ireland · Girls; by 2013 that had become #424 and #894.
Cassandra Compare
In 2009 they stood at #665 and #665 in Republic of Ireland · Girls; by 2010 that had become #444 and #910.

Moved ahead of May

Evelyn Compare
In 2010 they stood at #390 and #520 in Norway · Girls; by 2011 that had become #552 and #278.
Summer Compare
In 2003 they stood at #559 and #655 in Republic of Ireland · Girls; by 2004 that had become #576 and #340.
Harper Compare
In 2011 they stood at #414 and #858 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2012 that had become #493 and #284.
Layla Compare
In 2001 they stood at #400 and #441 in Republic of Ireland · Girls; by 2002 that had become #512 and #312.

Moved the opposite way to May

Ada Compare
Between 1945 and 2025 in Norway · Girls, May went from #43 to #481 while Ada went from #229 to #18.
Alma Compare
Between 1945 and 2025 in Norway · Girls, May went from #43 to #481 while Alma went from #293 to #8.
Elise Compare
Between 1945 and 2025 in Norway · Girls, May went from #43 to #481 while Elise went from #223 to #63.
Ella Compare
Between 1945 and 2025 in Norway · Girls, May went from #43 to #481 while Ella went from #137 to #4.

Moved the same way as May

Anita Compare
Between 1945 and 2025 in Norway · Girls, May went from #43 to #481 and Anita from #162 to #459.
Anne Compare
Between 1945 and 2025 in Norway · Girls, May went from #43 to #481 and Anne from #1 to #159.
Åse Compare
Between 1945 and 2025 in Norway · Girls, May went from #43 to #481 and Åse from #25 to #93.
Aud Compare
Between 1945 and 2025 in Norway · Girls, May went from #43 to #481 and Aud from #13 to #427.

What's not yet available

Meaning
Origin
Pronunciation
Nicknames and spelling variants

Absence from this list does not mean the name isn't genuinely meaningful or widely used — only that Namewise hasn't sourced and reviewed that content yet. Absence from a specific year or geography above does not prove zero use there either; official statistics only publish names above a minimum threshold.

Official popularity data is available for 4 regions, from 1945 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #24 in Norway in 1959. Source data last verified 2026-07-21.

May

May at a glance

What stands out in May's record

What the data shows

Popularity journey

May across 4 official records

May by decade in Norway · Girls

May appears in

Popularity data

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1940s

Comparisons involving May

Longest shared records

Compared inside Norway lists

Names published alongside May

May and the names beside it

May moved ahead of

Moved ahead of May

Moved the opposite way to May

Moved the same way as May

May at a glance

What stands out in May's record

May across 4 official records

May by decade in Norway · Girls

May appears in

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1940s

Comparisons involving May

Longest shared records

Compared inside Norway lists

Names published alongside May

May and the names beside it

May moved ahead of

Moved ahead of May

Moved the opposite way to May

Moved the same way as May