A 1910s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Quay since 1914
Babies named Quay per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1971, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Quay's real moment was 1914.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 35 |
| 1920s | 43 |
| 1930s | 60 |
| 1940s | 14 |
| 1950s | 13 |
| 1960s | 17 |
| 1970s | 33 |
| 1980s | 34 |
| 1990s | 51 |
| 2000s | 31 |
| 2010s | 26 |
| 2020s | 40 |
Meaning & origin
Quay is an exceptionally rare given name first recorded in 1914. Its usage has been so limited that it has never appeared in the annual top 1000 rankings. The name experienced a brief peak in 1914, the year of its first recorded appearance, and after decades of minimal use, it has shown a rising trajectory since 2015. With no top states consistently reporting its use, Quay remains a highly unusual choice, attractive to parents seeking a distinctive name with a modern, streamlined sound.
The name Quay is an extremely rare given name, likely a modern coinage or a surname adoption. It may derive from the English surname Quay, which itself originates from a topographic name for someone living by a quay or wharf, or from a variant of the name Key. Its usage as a first name is minimal and largely a 20th- and 21st-century phenomenon.
Nicknames & variants
Variants: Quaye
Sibling names for Quay
Names that share Quay's style, for a brother or sister.
