An uncommon Old French pick — distinctive and rare.
A surname.
Quay is a boy's and girl's baby name of Old French origin, from the word quai meaning 'wharf' or 'dock,' a place where ships meet land. In maritime cultures, quays are hubs of commerce, adventure, and the meeting of distant worlds.
As a given name, Quay has a striking, nautical minimalism — four letters that evoke harbor waters and the smell of salt air. A name for a child of the sea.
Quay climbed 374 spots in the last 20 years — from #10997 to #10623.
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 40 | ▲ |
| 2010s | 26 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 31 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 51 | ▲ |
| 1980s | 34 | ▲ |
| 1970s | 33 | ▲ |
| 1960s | 17 | ▲ |
| 1950s | 13 | — |
| 1940s | 14 | ▼ |
| 1930s | 60 | ▲ |
| 1920s | 43 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 35 | — |
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 7 | #10623 |
| 2023 | 10 | #8107 |
| 2022 | 7 | #10590 |
| 2021 | 7 | #10527 |
| 2020 | 9 | #8560 |
| 2019 | 6 | #11801 |
| 2017 | 6 | #11856 |
| 2012 | 6 | #11911 |
| 2011 | 8 | #9395 |
| 2007 | 6 | #12009 |
| 2004 | 6 | #10997 |
| 2003 | 7 | #9370 |
| 2002 | 6 | #10346 |
| 2001 | 6 | #10232 |
| 1999 | 7 | #8495 |
| 1997 | 5 | #10420 |
| 1996 | 6 | #8736 |
| 1995 | 5 | #9942 |
| 1994 | 8 | #6824 |
| 1993 | 8 | #6671 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
While overwhelmingly a boy's name, Quay has also been given to 15 girls in the U.S. since 1934.
Last updated May 2026 · Data: U.S. Social Security Administration (1914–2024) · Methodology