Fay
Fay is a boy's name of English origin.
Meaning
Fairy, or faith.
Origin and history
Fay is a traditional English name derived from the Old French word 'faie', meaning fairy or belief/faith. Though historically used for both sexes, it was moderately popular for boys in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the United States. Today, it is extremely rare as a masculine given name.
Popularity in the United States
4,118 babies in the United States have been named Fay since 1880. It ranks #1953 all-time.
States where it is most popular
- NY (18.2 %)
- AR (16.2 %)
- IA (10 %)
- MI (9.9 %)
- IL (6.9 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 173 |
| 1890-1900 | 240 |
| 1900-1910 | 249 |
| 1910-1920 | 999 |
| 1920-1930 | 1,121 |
| 1930-1940 | 672 |
| 1940-1950 | 382 |
| 1950-1960 | 171 |
| 1960-1970 | 87 |
| 1970-1980 | 24 |
| 1980-1990 | 0 |
| 1990-2000 | 0 |
| 2000-2010 | 0 |
| 2010-2019 | 0 |
| 2020-2029 | 0 |
Famous people named Fay
- Fay Moulton: Track and field athlete, Lawyer
Fun facts
- Fay derives from Old French 'faie' (meaning fairy) as well as being associated with 'fei' (faith).
- While commonly recognized as feminine today, Fay had steady historical usage as a masculine given name in the early 1900s U.S.