An uncommon Middle English pick — distinctive and rare.
A surname from Middle English, spelling variant of Kay.
Kaye is a girl's and boy's baby name of Middle English origin, a variant of Kay — possibly from the Old Welsh name Cai or derived from the Latin Gaius meaning 'to rejoice.' With over 13,000 recorded births, it has a long American history as a gentle, unpretentious name that wears beautifully both as a given name and a middle name.
Kaye was #7241 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #9208, but its charm endures.
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 56 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 100 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 138 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 209 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 374 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 495 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 2,008 | ▼ |
| 1950s | 3,537 | ▼ |
| 1940s | 4,334 | ▲ |
| 1930s | 1,442 | ▲ |
| 1920s | 293 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 181 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 18 | — |
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 11 | #9208 |
| 2023 | 7 | #12785 |
| 2022 | 15 | #7455 |
| 2021 | 13 | #8258 |
| 2020 | 10 | #9903 |
| 2019 | 13 | #8364 |
| 2018 | 10 | #10182 |
| 2017 | 8 | #12196 |
| 2016 | 8 | #12316 |
| 2015 | 16 | #7438 |
| 2014 | 10 | #10539 |
| 2013 | 10 | #10618 |
| 2012 | 10 | #10835 |
| 2011 | 5 | #18185 |
| 2010 | 10 | #10828 |
| 2009 | 7 | #14460 |
| 2008 | 14 | #8741 |
| 2007 | 9 | #12148 |
| 2006 | 13 | #8990 |
| 2005 | 14 | #8104 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
While overwhelmingly a girl's name, Kaye has also been given to 503 boys in the U.S. since 1920.
Last updated May 2026 · Data: U.S. Social Security Administration (1901–2024) · Methodology