Cay
A cay, also spelled caye or key, is a small, low-elevation, sandy island on the surface of a coral reef. Cays occur in tropical environments throughout the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans, including in the Caribbean and on the Great Barrier Reef and Belize Barrier Reef.
Meaning & Origin of Cay
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
A cay, also spelled caye or key, is a small, low-elevation, sandy island on the surface of a coral reef. Cays occur in tropical environments throughout the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans, including in the Caribbean and on the Great Barrier Reef and Belize Barrier Reef.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Etymology
The Story of Cay
Cay first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1939, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1955, when 38 Cays were born — ranking #1,667 that year. As of 2026, Cay ranks #6,564 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 241 Cays have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1930s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Cay
Phonetically similar names — useful when Cay 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 Cay
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About the name Cay
Cay is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1939 and has accumulated 241 births in the dataset. Cay's peak popularity came in 1955 when it ranked #1,667. Use the chart and map above to compare Cay's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1955 →
- Names of the 1950s →
- Names starting with "C" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.