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:
- India (Indus river)
- Bailey (bailiff)
- Emily (rival)
- Isabella (pledged to God)
- Abigail (my father is joyful)
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”)