Shay is a unisex baby name that comes from either Irish or Hebrew. Shay hasn’t enjoyed consistent popularity but this name deserves a second look.

Meaning of the name Shay:

Irish: esteemed, majestic
Hebrew: gift, salvation

Origin of the name Shay:

Shay is a name of Hebrew and Irish origin. From Hebrew, Shay is a variant spelling of Shai and means “gift” or “salvation”. From Irish, Shay is a variant spelling of Shea and Séaghdha. It means “esteemed, majestic”.

Symbolism of the name Shay:

Shay is majestic and a gift like the most valuable golden treasure.

Style of the name Shay:

traditional

Gender of the name Shay:

Shay is a name given to both boys and girls.

Pronunciation of the name Shay:

SHAY

Number of syllables in the name Shay:

one

Emotion evoked from the name Shay:

Shay evokes feelings of compassion and kindness.

Alternative spellings for the name Shay:

Sé, Séaghdha, Shea (Irish), Shai (Hebrew)

Nicknames for the name Shay:

There are no nicknames for the name Shay.

Popularity of the name Shay:

According to the Social Security Administration, Shay is a unisex baby name. As a girl’s name, Shay has only been in the top 1000 names in four years: 1970-71, 1974, and 2020. As a boy’s name, Shay was in the top 1000 names between 1970 and 1980 and between 1987 and 1995.

Related names for the name Shay:

Great middle names for the name Shay and their meanings:

Boys:

Girls:

Famous people with the name Shay:

  • Shay Doron (Israeli basketball player)
  • Shay Astar (American actress and singer)
  • Shay Youngblood (American novelist and playwright)
  • Shay Mitchell (Canadian actress)
  • Indie Shay Lewis (daughter of Aaron Lewis)

Shays in popular culture:

  • Shay (games, Shadow World RPG)
  • Shay (literature, Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld)
  • Shay Bourne (literature, “Change of Heart” by Jodi Picoult)
  • Shay Patrick Cormac (video game, “Assassin's Creed Rogue”)
  • Shay Turner (television, “800 Words”)