Boy · #12,142 in 2026

Alay

Name: Popularity of the name Alay in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Alay, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Alay is an Indonesian pop culture phenomenon. The term refers to a stereotype describing something "tacky", "cheesy" and/or being excessive. The Alay culture phenomena spans a wide array of styles in music, dress, and messaging. It has often been compared to that of the Jejemon phenomenon originating from the Philippines and Harajuku from Japan.

Current Rank

#12,142

Peak Rank

#10,921 (2007)

Total Babies

5-Yr Trend

Stable

2007

First Year

2019

Last Year

2007

Peak Year

#10921

Peak Rank

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Alay

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology

The word "Alay" or "Alayen" or "Sharon Alay" has no exact meaning or obvious derivation. Various definitions of alay are offered. One theory that is widely accepted is that "Alay" comes from the term " Anak Layangan " ( Indonesian : Kiteflyer), a pejorative describing someone having certain attributes from spending most of their time outside and getting sunburnt (e.g. reddened hair and skin). Kites are also considered as cheap entertainment to the middle and lower class in modern Indonesia, stereotyping alay as a part of that class.

The Story of Alay

Alay first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 2007, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2007, when 6 Alays were born — ranking #10,921 that year. As of 2026, Alay ranks #12,142 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 17 Alays have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Alay

Phonetically similar names — useful when Alay is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Allay
Allais
Alais
Alae
Ally
Allow
Alee
Allee
Ulla
Aloo
Alaa
Olah

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Alay

What does the name Alay mean?

How popular is Alay in 2026?

In 2026, Alay ranks #12,142 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.

When was Alay most popular?

Alay reached its peak popularity in 2007, ranking #10,921 that year with 6 babies given the name.

Is Alay a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Alay is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Alay?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Alay include Olukayode, Ophir, Laryan. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Alay

Alay is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2007 and has accumulated 17 births in the dataset. Alay's peak popularity came in 2007 when it ranked #10,921. Use the chart and map above to compare Alay's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.