Bay
A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a gulf, sea, sound, or bight. A cove is a small, circular bay with a narrow entrance.
Meaning & Origin of Bay
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a gulf, sea, sound, or bight. A cove is a small, circular bay with a narrow entrance.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Bay
As a girl name
Bay first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1987, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2014, when 75 Bays were born — ranking #2,412 that year. As of 2026, Bay ranks #7,044 for girls with 15 births, gradually falling (-12%). In total, more than 545 Bays have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Bay first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1916, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2013, when 11 Bays were born — ranking #7,024 that year. As of 2026, Bay ranks #10,889 for boys with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 203 Bays have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Bay
Phonetically similar names — useful when Bay is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Bay
What does the name Bay mean?
How popular is Bay in 2026?
When was Bay most popular?
In which U.S. states is Bay most popular?
Is Bay a unisex name?
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About the name Bay
Bay is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1987 and has accumulated 545 births in the dataset. Bay's peak popularity came in 2014 when it ranked #2,412. Use the chart and map above to compare Bay's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2014 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "B" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.