Fay is a girls' name of Latin origin, meaning “fairy”, Old French fae 'fairy', from Latin fata. The same word appears in Morgan le Fay, the enchantress of Arthurian legend; Fay is also a short form of Faith.

Fay

Gender: Girl
Say it: FAY
Origin: Latin
UK rank, 2025: #3,101 for girls
US rank, 2025: #3,779 for girls

Fay is a girls' name of Latin origin, meaning “fairy”. In 2025 it ranked 3,101st for girls in the UK (8 babies) and 3,779th for girls in the US (39 babies).

What does Fay mean?

Latin: Old French fae 'fairy', from Latin fata

“fairy”

The same word appears in Morgan le Fay, the enchantress of Arthurian legend; Fay is also a short form of Faith.

Is Fay a girl's or a boy's name?

Fay is a girls' name. In 2025, it was given to 8 girls in the UK and 39 girls in the US. Too few boys were given it to be listed.

How popular is Fay in the UK?

Rank in 2025: #3,101among girls
Babies in 2025: 8about 1 in 35,000 girls
Five-year trend: Steadydown 17% in five years
Same name in a class: under 1%chance among 15 girls

In 2025, 8 girls in the UK were named Fay, making it the 3,101st most popular name for girls. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 2,766th. Its busiest year was 1996, with 94 girls.

Half of all the girls named Fay in the UK since 1996 were born between 1999 and 2008. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier girls aren't counted.

In 2025, 183 girls in the UK were given Fay or a name that sounds the same. With every name's spellings counted this way, that ranks #279, up from #3,101 for this spelling alone.

Faye 162
Fae 13
Fay 8

Among girls in 2025, it was 3,033rd in England and Wales.

1996Busiest: 94 in 19962025

Fay in the UK, year by year

Year	Girls	Rank
2025	8	#3,101
2024	6	#3,758
2023	6	#3,766
2022	13	#2,157
2021	12	#2,325
2020	9	#2,766
2019	9	#2,792
2018	6	#3,702
2017	16	#1,913
2016	19	#1,724
2015	22	#1,527
2014	9	#2,809
2013	17	#1,798
2012	26	#1,346
2011	29	#1,216
2010	30	#1,167
2009	43	#864
2008	35	#978
2007	42	#830
2006	54	#655
2005	61	#598
2004	69	#516
2003	71	#503
2002	68	#494
2001	89	#400
2000	80	#436
1999	70	#472
1998	67	#490
1997	78	#452
1996	94	#388

How popular is Fay in the US?

Rank in 2025: #3,779among girls
Babies in 2025: 39about 1 in 41,000 girls
Five-year trend: Steadyup 8% in five years
Same name in a class: under 1%chance among 15 girls

In 2025, 39 girls in the US were named Fay, making it the 3,779th most popular name for girls. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 4,167th. Its busiest year was 1926, with 722 girls.

Half of all the girls named Fay in the US since 1880 were born between 1918 and 1946, the years shaded on the chart below.

In 2025, 657 girls in the US were given Fay or a name that sounds the same. With every name's spellings counted this way, that ranks #481, up from #3,779 for this spelling alone.

Faye 579
Fay 39
Fae 39

Girls were 55% of the babies named Fay in the US in 1881, and 87% in 1976.

1880Busiest: 722 in 19262025

Fay in the US, year by year

Year	Girls	Rank
2025	39	#3,779
2024	46	#3,395
2023	34	#4,189
2022	38	#3,891
2021	43	#3,552
2020	33	#4,167
2019	38	#3,850
2018	39	#3,788
2017	26	#5,043
2016	45	#3,464
2015	25	#5,286
2014	34	#4,267
2013	26	#5,141
2012	30	#4,705
2011	26	#5,205
2010	22	#5,975
2009	26	#5,377
2008	20	#6,556
2007	26	#5,374
2006	27	#5,085
2005	16	#7,133
2004	25	#5,058
2003	25	#4,938
2002	23	#5,082
2001	17	#6,317
2000	24	#4,786
1999	13	#7,233
1998	19	#5,359
1997	17	#5,622
1996	11	#7,569
1995	15	#5,953
1994	17	#5,440
1993	16	#5,667
1992	16	#5,711
1991	20	#4,802
1990	26	#3,904
1989	29	#3,471
1988	26	#3,580
1987	27	#3,328
1986	25	#3,457
1985	32	#2,859
1984	32	#2,780
1983	35	#2,551
1982	36	#2,581
1981	32	#2,774
1980	42	#2,308
1979	31	#2,795
1978	46	#2,050
1977	52	#1,901
1976	55	#1,729
1975	50	#1,838
1974	48	#1,820
1973	54	#1,666
1972	51	#1,724
1971	69	#1,473
1970	68	#1,474
1969	82	#1,234
1968	111	#991
1967	111	#970
1966	140	#843
1965	155	#792
1964	184	#767
1963	210	#703
1962	227	#682
1961	246	#653
1960	274	#600
1959	260	#615
1958	302	#563
1957	265	#595
1956	328	#516
1955	263	#560
1954	321	#494
1953	302	#499
1952	320	#470
1951	393	#421
1950	376	#412
1949	401	#397
1948	354	#421
1947	420	#389
1946	410	#374
1945	335	#384
1944	390	#349
1943	471	#324
1942	489	#309
1941	430	#318
1940	497	#280
1939	502	#277
1938	496	#282
1937	550	#267
1936	530	#263
1935	543	#263
1934	633	#247
1933	608	#246
1932	655	#241
1931	632	#238
1930	614	#251
1929	654	#244
1928	628	#258
1927	665	#254
1926	722	#243
1925	607	#269
1924	563	#277
1923	595	#264
1922	568	#273
1921	612	#269
1920	690	#250
1919	660	#250
1918	662	#248
1917	690	#238
1916	676	#234
1915	701	#224
1914	566	#223
1913	427	#233
1912	436	#213
1911	339	#208
1910	316	#205
1909	246	#228
1908	267	#204
1907	257	#202
1906	215	#211
1905	215	#211
1904	186	#224
1903	190	#219
1902	181	#222
1901	151	#235
1900	170	#248
1899	139	#235
1898	171	#223
1897	141	#235
1896	107	#281
1895	121	#257
1894	124	#242
1893	89	#280
1892	97	#269
1891	92	#253
1890	99	#250
1889	84	#256
1888	63	#296
1887	47	#310
1886	37	#352
1885	48	#290
1884	39	#315
1883	28	#336
1882	34	#300
1881	18	#393
1880	13	#466

Names like Fay

Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.

Lucy Florence Rose Georgia Rosie Alice Fern Ruby Charlotte Frances Eleanor Grace

Other spellings of Fay

Faye Fae

Names related to Fay

Fayha Faya

More Latin names

Oliver Olivia Leo Roman Aurora Emily Mabel Luna Nora Emilia Max Nova Julian Clara Anthony Austin

Every Latin name

Sources

Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland), Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency) and Popular Baby Names (US Social Security Administration). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.

To cite this page: Nameling, “Fay: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/fay, updated 20 October 2026.