Unisex · #12,196 in 2026

Say

Current Rank
#12,196
Peak Rank
#9,611 (2013)
Total Babies
62
5-Yr Trend
Stable
👧 Girl peak #9,611 (62 total)
👦 Boy peak #8,789 (30 total)
👧As Girl Name
1982
First Year
2021
Last Year
2013
Peak Year
#9611
Peak Rank
62
Total Count
8
Years Active
👦As Boy Name
1982
First Year
2016
Last Year
2013
Peak Year
#8789
Peak Rank
30
Total Count
5
Years Active

The Story of Say

As a girl name

Say first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1982, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2013, when 11 Says were born — ranking #9,611 that year. As of 2026, Say ranks #12,196 for girls with 7 births, with steady use. In total, more than 62 Says have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.

As a boy name

Say first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1982, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2013, when 8 Says were born — ranking #8,789 that year. As of 2026, Say ranks #12,182 for boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 30 Says have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Girls Boys

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Say

Phonetically similar names — useful when Say 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 Say

What does the name Say mean?
Say is a girl's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1982. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.
How popular is Say in 2026?
In 2026, Say ranks #12,196 among girls' names in the U.S., with 7 babies given the name that year.
When was Say most popular?
Say reached its peak popularity in 2013, ranking #9,611 that year with 11 babies given the name.
Is Say a unisex name?
Yes — Say is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 67% of Says assigned female and 33% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Say?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Say include Nel, Mollyann, Rael. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Say

Say is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1982 and has accumulated 62 births in the dataset. Say's peak popularity came in 2013 when it ranked #9,611. Use the chart and map above to compare Say'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.