Shay
maleStatistical recordWhat official birth registration shows about Shay: which national registrars published it, in which years, and how its recorded position changed.
No researched meaning, origin or pronunciation yet — what that means.
among girls in England and Wales · 1996–2025
View as table
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 1996 | #1296 |
| 1997 | #1543 |
| 1998 | #1165 |
| 1999 | #1107 |
| 2000 | #1389 |
| 2001 | #1439 |
| 2002 | #1442 |
| 2003 | #2191 |
| 2004 | #1715 |
| 2005 | #1690 |
| 2006 | #1502 |
| 2007 | #1443 |
| 2008 | #2292 |
| 2009 | #2535 |
| 2010 | #2235 |
| 2011 | #2275 |
| 2012 | #2717 |
| 2013 | #2649 |
| 2014 | #1882 |
| 2015 | #1865 |
| 2016 | #1834 |
| 2017 | #1371 |
| 2018 | #3178 |
| 2019 | #3541 |
| 2020 | #1687 |
| 2021 | #2711 |
| 2022 | #1849 |
| 2023 | #2689 |
| 2024 | #2115 |
| 2025 | #4867 |
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
Recorded in official data among boys in Republic of Ireland in 39 of the 54 years from 1972 to 2025.
In 2024: #790 among girls in Scotland, #2115 among girls in England and Wales.
Official data from 4 national registrars across 4 regions, 1972–2025 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources
Popularity journey
First recorded1972
First recorded at #279 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1972 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1972–2025
Highest recorded position: #39 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2022 (recorded 1972–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #4867 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Popularity data
Official popularity data is available for 4 regions, from 1972 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #39 in Republic of Ireland in 2022.
| Year | Region | Category | Rank | Births registered | Confidence | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | England and Wales | female | #4867 | 4 | High | Verified |
| 2025 | England and Wales | male | #529 | 73 | High | Verified |
| 2024 | England and Wales | female | #2115 | 13 | High | Verified |
| 2024 | England and Wales | male | #389 | 106 | High | Verified |
| 2023 | England and Wales | female | #2689 | 9 | High | Verified |
| 2023 | England and Wales | male | #415 | 95 | High | Verified |
| 2022 | England and Wales | female | #1849 | 15 | High | Verified |
| 2022 | England and Wales | male | #399 | 106 | High | Verified |
| 2021 | England and Wales | female | #2711 | 9 | High | Verified |
| 2021 | England and Wales | male | #393 | 110 | High | Verified |
| 2020 | England and Wales | female | #1687 | 17 | High | Verified |
| 2020 | England and Wales | male | #398 | 104 | High | Verified |
| 2019 | England and Wales | female | #3541 | 6 | High | Verified |
| 2019 | England and Wales | male | #426 | 97 | High | Verified |
| 2018 | England and Wales | female | #3178 | 7 | High | Verified |
| 2018 | England and Wales | male | #366 | 124 | High | Verified |
| 2017 | England and Wales | female | #1371 | 24 | High | Verified |
| 2017 | England and Wales | male | #302 | 166 | High | Verified |
| 2016 | England and Wales | female | #1834 | 16 | High | Verified |
| 2016 | England and Wales | male | #344 | 136 | High | Verified |
| 2015 | England and Wales | female | #1865 | 15 | High | Verified |
| 2015 | England and Wales | male | #262 | 195 | High | Verified |
| 2014 | England and Wales | female | #1882 | 15 | High | Verified |
| 2014 | England and Wales | male | #253 | 204 | High | Verified |
| 2013 | England and Wales | female | #2649 | 9 | High | Verified |
| 2013 | England and Wales | male | #247 | 202 | High | Verified |
| 2012 | England and Wales | female | #2717 | 9 | High | Verified |
| 2012 | England and Wales | male | #197 | 282 | High | Verified |
| 2011 | England and Wales | female | #2275 | 11 | High | Verified |
| 2011 | England and Wales | male | #206 | 255 | High | Verified |
| 2010 | England and Wales | female | #2235 | 11 | High | Verified |
| 2010 | England and Wales | male | #164 | 338 | High | Verified |
| 2009 | England and Wales | female | #2535 | 9 | High | Verified |
| 2009 | England and Wales | male | #184 | 284 | High | Verified |
| 2008 | England and Wales | female | #2292 | 10 | High | Verified |
| 2008 | England and Wales | male | #183 | 264 | High | Verified |
| 2007 | England and Wales | female | #1443 | 18 | High | Verified |
| 2007 | England and Wales | male | #166 | 304 | High | Verified |
| 2006 | England and Wales | female | #1502 | 16 | High | Verified |
| 2006 | England and Wales | male | #156 | 316 | High | Verified |
| 2005 | England and Wales | female | #1690 | 13 | High | Verified |
| 2005 | England and Wales | male | #161 | 289 | High | Verified |
| 2004 | England and Wales | female | #1715 | 12 | High | Verified |
| 2004 | England and Wales | male | #180 | 228 | High | Verified |
| 2003 | England and Wales | female | #2191 | 8 | High | Verified |
| 2003 | England and Wales | male | #189 | 205 | High | Verified |
| 2002 | England and Wales | female | #1442 | 13 | High | Verified |
| 2002 | England and Wales | male | #189 | 182 | High | Verified |
| 2001 | England and Wales | female | #1439 | 13 | High | Verified |
| 2001 | England and Wales | male | #259 | 107 | High | Verified |
| 2000 | England and Wales | female | #1389 | 13 | High | Verified |
| 2000 | England and Wales | male | #302 | 91 | High | Verified |
| 1999 | England and Wales | female | #1107 | 18 | High | Verified |
| 1999 | England and Wales | male | #292 | 93 | High | Verified |
| 1998 | England and Wales | female | #1165 | 17 | High | Verified |
| 1998 | England and Wales | male | #213 | 147 | High | Verified |
| 1997 | England and Wales | female | #1543 | 11 | High | Verified |
| 1997 | England and Wales | male | #281 | 98 | High | Verified |
| 1996 | England and Wales | female | #1296 | 14 | High | Verified |
| 1996 | England and Wales | male | #489 | 37 | High | Verified |
| 2024 | Northern Ireland | male | #177 | 12 | High | Verified |
| 2023 | Northern Ireland | male | #200 | 10 | High | Verified |
| 2022 | Northern Ireland | male | #163 | 13 | High | Verified |
| 2021 | Northern Ireland | male | #166 | 14 | High | Verified |
| 2020 | Northern Ireland | male | #142 | 17 | High | Verified |
| 2019 | Northern Ireland | male | #169 | 14 | High | Verified |
| 2018 | Northern Ireland | male | #171 | 14 | High | Verified |
| 2017 | Northern Ireland | male | #140 | 19 | High | Verified |
| 2016 | Northern Ireland | male | #166 | 15 | High | Verified |
| 2015 | Northern Ireland | male | #201 | 11 | High | Verified |
| 2014 | Northern Ireland | male | #135 | 21 | High | Verified |
| 2013 | Northern Ireland | male | #153 | 17 | High | Verified |
| 2012 | Northern Ireland | male | #106 | 29 | High | Verified |
| 2011 | Northern Ireland | male | #111 | 26 | High | Verified |
| 2010 | Northern Ireland | male | #103 | 31 | High | Verified |
| 2009 | Northern Ireland | male | #93 | 34 | High | Verified |
| 2008 | Northern Ireland | male | #116 | 26 | High | Verified |
| 2007 | Northern Ireland | male | #131 | 22 | High | Verified |
| 2006 | Northern Ireland | male | #110 | 25 | High | Verified |
| 2005 | Northern Ireland | male | #131 | 18 | High | Verified |
| 2004 | Northern Ireland | male | #103 | 26 | High | Verified |
| 2003 | Northern Ireland | male | #100 | 25 | High | Verified |
| 2002 | Northern Ireland | male | #96 | 25 | High | Verified |
| 2001 | Northern Ireland | male | #123 | 17 | High | Verified |
| 2000 | Northern Ireland | male | #136 | 13 | High | Verified |
| 1999 | Northern Ireland | male | #158 | 10 | High | Verified |
| 1998 | Northern Ireland | male | #144 | 13 | High | Verified |
| 1997 | Northern Ireland | male | #129 | 15 | High | Verified |
| 2025 | Republic of Ireland | male | #52 | 101 | High | Verified |
| 2024 | Republic of Ireland | male | #50 | 107 | High | Verified |
| 2023 | Republic of Ireland | male | #53 | 109 | High | Verified |
| 2022 | Republic of Ireland | female | #905 | 3 | High | Verified |
| 2022 | Republic of Ireland | male | #39 | 152 | High | Verified |
| 2021 | Republic of Ireland | male | #52 | 126 | High | Verified |
| 2020 | Republic of Ireland | male | #53 | 117 | High | Verified |
| 2019 | Republic of Ireland | male | #63 | 103 | High | Verified |
| 2018 | Republic of Ireland | male | #65 | 98 | High | Verified |
| 2017 | Republic of Ireland | male | #84 | 86 | High | Verified |
| 2016 | Republic of Ireland | male | #78 | 88 | High | Verified |
| 2015 | Republic of Ireland | male | #78 | 98 | High | Verified |
| 2014 | Republic of Ireland | male | #83 | 97 | High | Verified |
| 2013 | Republic of Ireland | male | #76 | 104 | High | Verified |
| 2012 | Republic of Ireland | male | #103 | 69 | High | Verified |
| 2011 | Republic of Ireland | male | #106 | 72 | High | Verified |
| 2010 | Republic of Ireland | male | #78 | 99 | High | Verified |
| 2009 | Republic of Ireland | male | #97 | 78 | High | Verified |
| 2008 | Republic of Ireland | male | #119 | 63 | High | Verified |
| 2007 | Republic of Ireland | male | #134 | 47 | High | Verified |
| 2006 | Republic of Ireland | male | #132 | 42 | High | Verified |
| 2005 | Republic of Ireland | male | #158 | 29 | High | Verified |
| 2004 | Republic of Ireland | male | #171 | 22 | High | Verified |
| 2003 | Republic of Ireland | male | #187 | 16 | High | Verified |
| 2002 | Republic of Ireland | male | #185 | 17 | High | Verified |
| 2001 | Republic of Ireland | male | #209 | 12 | High | Verified |
| 2000 | Republic of Ireland | male | #274 | 6 | High | Verified |
| 1999 | Republic of Ireland | male | #266 | 6 | High | Verified |
| 1998 | Republic of Ireland | male | #203 | 10 | High | Verified |
| 1997 | Republic of Ireland | male | #209 | 12 | High | Verified |
| 1996 | Republic of Ireland | male | #295 | 5 | High | Verified |
| 1994 | Republic of Ireland | male | #299 | 4 | High | Verified |
| 1990 | Republic of Ireland | male | #323 | 3 | High | Verified |
| 1987 | Republic of Ireland | male | #303 | 3 | High | Verified |
| 1985 | Republic of Ireland | male | #304 | 3 | High | Verified |
| 1984 | Republic of Ireland | male | #318 | 3 | High | Verified |
| 1980 | Republic of Ireland | male | #321 | 3 | High | Verified |
| 1977 | Republic of Ireland | male | #293 | 4 | High | Verified |
| 1975 | Republic of Ireland | male | #321 | 3 | High | Verified |
| 1972 | Republic of Ireland | male | #279 | 4 | High | Verified |
| 2024 | Scotland | female | #790 | 3 | High | Verified |
| 2024 | Scotland | male | #155 | 29 | High | Verified |
- England and Wales hub — collected by Office for National Statistics
- Northern Ireland hub — collected by NISRA
- Republic of Ireland hub — collected by CSO Ireland
- Scotland hub — collected by National Records of Scotland
See methodology and data sources for how popularity data is collected and what "confidence" means.
Where Shay is officially recorded
4 official registrars have recorded Shay, between 1972 and 2025, in 39 of those 54 years. Each registrar publishes for its own population on its own methodology, so the positions below are each one country's own ranking and are not comparable with one another.
| Registrar | Recorded | Years | Its own highest position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Republic of Ireland | 1972–2025 | 39 | #39 in 2022 |
| England and Wales | 1996–2025 | 30 | #156 in 2006 |
| Northern Ireland | 1997–2024 | 28 | #93 in 2009 |
| Scotland | 2024 | 1 | #155 in 2024 |
Its high point came 18 years earlier in England and Wales (2006) than in Scotland (2024).
No registrar recorded it for 3 years after 1980; it appears again in 1984.
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 1972 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #39 in Republic of Ireland in 2022. Source data last verified 2026-07-21.