Shay is a distinctive girls' name in England & Wales, ranking #2689 in 2023 with 9 recorded births. The name reached its all-time peak in 2017 with 24 births ranking #1371. Since 1996, the popularity has decreased by 35.7%. In 2023, approximately 1 in every 28,508 girls born was named Shay. FALLING Recent data shows the name is currently falling.
Shay is a genuine multi-origin name. Behind the Name lists it both as an anglicised Irish form of Séaghdha and as an alternate transcription of the Hebrew name Shai.
Because both routes are established, the safest published treatment is to present Shay as multi-origin rather than force one meaning. In Irish use it follows an older Gaelic name, while in Hebrew use it belongs to a separate established line.