Jay Name Meaning and Origin

Jay Leno Actor · Born 1950 · United States Jay Leno is best known for hosting NBC's The Tonight Show, a role he held for many years after taking over from Johnny Carson in 1992. He’s an American comedian, writer, and television host who also led The Jay Leno Show after leaving The Tonight Show in 2009.	Jay Chou Actor · Born 1979 · Taiwan Jay Chou is a Taiwanese singer-songwriter and actor best known as the “King of Mandopop.” He became famous across the Chinese-speaking world for hit songs like “Blue and White Porcelain,” “Simple Love,” and “Nunchucks,” and he has also worked as a director and businessman.	Jerome Powell Politician · Born 1953 · United States Jay Powell is best known as the chair of the Federal Reserve, a role he has held since 2018. An American central banker and attorney, he previously worked as a lawyer and investment banker before entering public service.
Jay Baruchel Actor · Born 1982 · Canada Jay Baruchel is a Canadian actor and filmmaker, best known for voicing Hiccup Haddock in the How to Train Your Dragon films. He’s also known for starring in comedies like Fanboys, She’s Out of My League, and This Is the End.	Jeezy Actor · Born 1977 · United States Jay Wayne Jenkins, better known as Jeezy or Young Jeezy, is an American rapper best known for helping popularize trap music in the 2000s. He is known for songs and albums like Soul Survivor, Put On, and Thug Motivation 101.	Jay Mohr Actor · Born 1970 · United States Jay Mohr is an American actor, comedian, and radio host best known for his TV roles in Action, Ghost Whisperer, and Gary Unmarried. He played Peter Dragon in Action, Professor Rick Payne in Ghost Whisperer, and the lead character in Gary Unmarried.

Jayavarman VII

Royal · Born 1128

Jayavarman VII was most famous as one of the greatest kings of the Khmer Empire. Reigning in the late 12th and early 13th centuries, he is known for expanding the empire and for major building projects such as Bayon and Ta Prohm.

Screamin' Jay Hawkins

Actor · Born 1929 · United States

Screamin' Jay Hawkins was an American singer-songwriter and performer best known for the hit song "I Put a Spell on You." Born Jalacy J. Hawkins, he was also a musician, actor, film producer, and boxer.

Jayavaraman II

Royal · Born 800 · Cambodia

Jayavaraman II was a king who is most famous for founding the Khmer Empire in Cambodia during the early 9th century. He established the empire's capital at Hariharalaya and laid the groundwork for the Angkor civilization.

Jay Kay

Musician · Born 1969 · United Kingdom

Jay Kay is best known as the lead singer of the acid jazz and funk band Jamiroquai, which he co-founded in 1992. Born Jason Luís Cheetham, he is an English singer and songwriter known for hits like "Virtual Insanity," "Cosmic Girl," and "Canned Heat."

Jay Hernandez

Actor · Born 1978 · United States

Jay Hernandez is an American actor best known for films like Crazy/Beautiful and Suicide Squad, as well as the TV series Magnum P.I. Born Javier Manuel Hernandez on February 20, 1978, he first appeared on TV in NBC's Hang Time before making his film debut opposite Kirsten Dunst in Crazy/Beautiful (2001).

J.Y. Park

Actor · Born 1971 · South Korea

Park Jin-young, better known as J. Y. Park, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, and record producer best known for founding JYP Entertainment. He is also known for songs like “Who’s Your Mama?” and “Honey.”

Jay Park

Actor · Born 1987 · United States

Jay Park is best known as a rapper, singer-songwriter, and dancer who became a major figure in Korean hip hop and R&B. Based in South Korea, he has released popular songs like “MOMMAE,” “All I Wanna Do,” and “Joah,” and he also founded the labels AOMG, H1ghr Music, and More Vision.

Jay Brannan

Actor|musician · Born 1982 · United States

Jay Brannan is best known as an American singer-songwriter and actor. Born on March 29, 1982, in Texas, he later moved to California to pursue acting, and he’s known for songs like "Housewife" and "Can't Have It All."

Jay Ryan

Actor · Born 1981 · New Zealand

Jay Ryan may refer to several people with that name. The best-known is likely the New Zealand actor famous for Beauty and the Beast, Mary Kills People, and It Chapter Two.

Jay Thomas

Actor · Born 1948 · United States

Jay Thomas was an American actor best known for his roles on TV shows like 'Cheers' and 'Murphy Brown'. He played Eddie LeBec on 'Cheers' and Jerry Gold on 'Murphy Brown', bringing humor and charm to his characters. Thomas also had a memorable recurring role on 'Ray Donovan'.

Jay O. Sanders

Actor · Born 1953 · United States

Jay O. Sanders is an American actor best known for his role in the film 'JFK' as Lou Ivon. He has also appeared in 'The Day After Tomorrow' and 'Tumbleweeds'. Born in 1953, Sanders has had a long and varied career in film, television, and theater.

Jay Ellis

Actor · Born 1981 · United States

Jay Ellis is an American actor best known for his role as Lawrence Walker on the hit TV series Insecure. Born in 1981, he has also appeared in films like Top Gun: Maverick. His performances have made him a recognizable face in the entertainment industry.

Jayavarman III

Royal · Born 850 · Khmer Empire

Jayavarman III was the second ruler of Angkor, succeeding his father Jayavarman II. Very little is known about his reign, and he was also known as Vishnuloka; later Khmer king Yasovarman I claimed a family connection through Jayavarman III’s grandmother.

Jay Harrington

Actor · Born 1971 · United States

Jay Harrington is an American actor and director best known for playing Sergeant David "Deacon" Kay on S.W.A.T. He has also appeared in Better Off Ted and American Reunion.

Jay Grdina

Actor · Born 1967 · United States

Jay Grdina is best known as an American businessman and former pornographic actor. He was born on October 11, 1967.

Jay Benedict

Actor · Born 1951 · United States

Jay Benedict was an American actor best known for playing American roles in British film and television. He spent most of his life and career in the United Kingdom and appeared in well-known films including Aliens, The Dark Knight Rises, and Captain America: The First Avenger.

Jay Acovone

Actor · Born 1955 · United States

Jay Acovone is best known for playing Major Charles Kawalsky in Stargate SG-1. He is an American actor, born on August 20, 1955.

Jay North

Actor · Born 1951 · United States

Jay North is best known for his role as Dennis Mitchell in the television series 'Dennis the Menace', which aired from 1959 to 1963. He became a household name playing the mischievous yet lovable character. Born in 1951 in the United States, Jay North's portrayal of Dennis remains a memorable part of classic American television.

Jayavarman VIII

Royal · Born 1250 · Khmer Empire

Jayavarman VIII was a prominent king of the Khmer Empire, best known for ruling from 1243 to 1295. Also known by his posthumous name Paramesvarapada, he abdicated in 1295 after a long reign.

Jayavarman VI

Royal · Born 1100 · Cambodia

Jayavarman VI is best known as a king of the Khmer Empire, ruling from about 1080 to 1107 AD. He was an important ruler in Khmer history during the Angkor period.

Jay Silverheels

Actor · Born 1912 · Canada

Jay Silverheels was a Canadian actor best known for his role as Tonto in the television series The Lone Ranger. Born in 1912, he became a cultural icon through this role, which he played from 1949 to 1957. Silverheels also appeared in films like Broken Arrow and The Black Dakotas.

Jay R. Ferguson

Actor · Born 1974 · United States

Jay R. Ferguson is an American actor best known for his role as Stan Rizzo on the television series Mad Men. He also starred in the sitcom The Real O'Neals and appeared in the show Evening Shade. Born in 1974, Jay has built a diverse career in television and film.

Jay Karnes

Actor · Born 1963 · United States

Jay Karnes is an American actor best known for his role as Detective Holland "Dutch" Wagenbach on the TV series The Shield. He has also appeared in shows like Sons of Anarchy and The Crossing.

Jay Duplass

Actor · Born 1973 · United States

Jay Duplass is an American actor and filmmaker best known for his work on the TV series 'Transparent' and the film 'The Puffy Chair'. He often collaborates with his brother, Mark Duplass, in creating heartfelt and quirky independent films.

J. D. Williams

Actor · Born 1978 · United States

J. D. Williams is an American actor best known for playing Bodie Broadus on The Wire and Kenny Wangler on Oz. He has also appeared in Pootie Tang as Froggy and in the series Saints & Sinners.

Jayavarman V

Royal · Born 958 · Cambodia

Jayavarman V is best known as a ruler of the Khmer Empire. He ruled from his state temple, Jayendranagari, at Jayendrapura, and during his reign the empire is said to have had 20 cities, or pura.

Jayavarman IV

Royal · Born 900 · Khmer Empire

Jayavarman IV was an Angkorian king best known for ruling the Khmer Empire from 928 to 941 CE. Early historians often described him as a usurper.

Jayavarman I

Royal · Born 700 · Cambodia

Jayavarman I was most famous for being the last ruler of the united Chenla, the state that came before the Khmer Empire. Also known as "Protégé of Victory," he is remembered as an important early Khmer king.

Jay Robinson

Actor · Born 1930 · United States

Jay Robinson was an American actor best known for his role as Caligula in the 1953 film 'The Robe'. He also reprised this role in the sequel, 'Demetrius and the Gladiators'. His portrayal of the infamous Roman emperor was a standout in his career.

Jay Pharoah

Actor · Born 1987 · United States

Jay Pharoah is best known for his impressions and comedy work on Saturday Night Live. He is an American stand-up comedian and actor, and he was a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series from 2010 to 2016.

Jay Tavare

Actor · Born 1968 · United States

Jay Tavare is best known for playing Vega in the 1994 film Street Fighter. He is an American actor, and he also appeared in the video game tie-in for Street Fighter.

Jay – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country	Gender	Year	Rank	Born	of
Ireland	Boys	2025	#1	—	836
Germany	Boys	2018	#1	—	431
FJ		0	#3	4	374
KH		0	#3	1	102
FJ	Boys	0	#5	14	603
PH	Boys	0	#5	1,462	11,440
KR		0	#6	3	201
KR	Boys	0	#7	27	897
PH		0	#7	120	5,607
FJ	Girls	0	#8	2	583
KH	Boys	0	#9	1	270
BW		0	#19	1	960
BN		0	#26	7	2,297
NA		0	#28	6	2,537
JM		0	#31	60	3,714
MO		0	#31	22	2,706
HT	Boys	0	#33	2	903
DJ	Boys	0	#35	2	657
ID		0	#39	1	2,238
IN		0	#40	31	2,963
BI	Boys	0	#41	4	917
MT		0	#43	1	1,767
GE		0	#44	1	997
JM	Boys	0	#50	481	6,876
HN	Boys	0	#52	1	749
MO	Boys	0	#52	243	5,842
TW		0	#52	49	4,523
PR		0	#53	3	1,497
TW	Boys	0	#53	348	7,111
CM		0	#54	3	2,592
CY		0	#58	3	1,632
QA		0	#58	43	7,011
LU		0	#62	5	2,830
JP		0	#64	14	4,057
BN	Boys	0	#65	70	6,332
CN		0	#65	21	3,857
CN	Boys	0	#66	443	9,639
MV	Boys	0	#67	11	3,375
AO		0	#73	5	2,729
AZ	Girls	0	#75	1	1,051
IN	Boys	0	#75	5,726	16,750
BG		0	#82	1	1,799
SD		0	#87	14	2,130
LT		0	#88	1	949
BN	Girls	0	#92	15	5,459
AE		0	#97	81	10,220
BW	Boys	0	#100	50	4,685
OM		0	#100	17	6,215
ID	Boys	0	#107	25	4,130
GE	Boys	0	#110	1	2,055
KW		0	#113	9	5,216
MY	Boys	0	#113	3,258	25,439
SG	Boys	0	#117	1,310	17,960
EC		0	#120	2	2,502
MU		0	#121	16	3,613
CR		0	#122	37	5,526
CY	Boys	0	#123	9	3,473
EE	Boys	0	#124	2	2,087
BW	Girls	0	#128	21	4,216
Switzerland	Boys	2024	#131	7	1,769
AZ	Boys	0	#131	1	1,400
PR	Boys	0	#131	46	2,508
IQ		0	#132	2	3,533
GR		0	#133	3	3,911
HK	Boys	0	#133	1,106	12,905
MU	Boys	0	#134	290	8,477
MY		0	#134	217	12,352
PA		0	#137	2	3,797
RS	Girls	0	#137	1	1,651
SG		0	#137	140	11,010
JO		0	#140	1	2,158
LT	Boys	0	#147	5	2,166
GH	Boys	0	#148	305	8,138
QA	Boys	0	#148	1,029	18,093
NA	Boys	0	#149	89	6,830
MT	Girls	0	#150	4	3,773
RS	Boys	0	#154	1	2,277
MT	Boys	0	#159	18	4,064
PR	Girls	0	#161	7	3,171
SA		0	#162	136	10,560
HU	Boys	0	#169	6	3,954
Sweden	Boys	2020	#176	2	1,548
SI	Girls	0	#177	1	2,769
LU	Boys	0	#178	41	4,970
HR		0	#179	3	2,081
CZ		0	#182	5	3,154
UY		0	#182	1	2,477
JM	Girls	0	#183	79	7,507
LU	Girls	0	#184	7	4,850
AO	Boys	0	#185	58	5,568
RU		0	#190	5	3,641
AR		0	#192	2	2,915
JP	Boys	0	#196	106	7,909
LT	Girls	0	#199	2	1,904
DK		0	#200	7	5,198
Belgium	Boys	2013	#201	22	407
Canada	Boys	2024	#205	104	2,588
GH		0	#206	38	5,396
PS		0	#206	13	5,692
SI	Boys	0	#207	5	3,402
PL		0	#209	4	2,600
AO	Girls	0	#210	8	4,575
QA	Girls	0	#211	107	15,378
HK		0	#215	144	8,483
NG		0	#217	48	5,926
BG	Boys	0	#218	3	3,850
MO	Girls	0	#221	31	7,056
HU	Girls	0	#224	2	3,308
AL	Girls	0	#227	1	4,141
IR		0	#227	5	4,221
NA	Girls	0	#229	9	7,146
BG	Girls	0	#230	2	3,559
BD		0	#233	9	5,992
PT		0	#244	7	4,161
EC	Boys	0	#245	2	3,322
JP	Girls	0	#245	7	6,592
ZA	Boys	0	#247	2,485	25,619
NL	Boys	0	#250	1,579	5,873
PH	Girls	0	#252	140	13,098
HR	Boys	0	#256	4	3,997
EC	Girls	0	#257	2	3,650
IL		0	#258	17	6,291
CZ	Boys	0	#259	46	6,530
AF	Boys	0	#260	11	3,535
KW	Boys	0	#260	757	18,755
TW	Girls	0	#265	12	8,139
GR	Boys	0	#270	4	6,912
CR	Boys	0	#272	267	10,188
KZ	Boys	0	#275	15	6,578
Canada	Girls	2020	#276	8	2,919
BH		0	#280	302	17,937
GH	Girls	0	#283	42	6,973
ZA		0	#283	165	14,421
AE	Boys	0	#289	1,626	22,615
HR	Girls	0	#294	1	3,687
AL	Boys	0	#298	6	5,122
PL	Boys	0	#301	35	6,459
PT	Boys	0	#303	65	7,951
DK	Boys	0	#310	16	7,401
CN	Girls	0	#318	32	8,829
Finland	Boys	0	#323	105	2,041
DK	Girls	0	#326	4	7,429
PE		0	#327	3	6,350
KZ	Girls	0	#331	2	5,862
SD	Boys	0	#331	115	10,523
JO	Girls	0	#333	7	7,570
MU	Girls	0	#333	19	8,539
SA	Boys	0	#333	3,997	28,008
GT		0	#338	1	5,948
NL		0	#339	53	2,481
OM	Girls	0	#340	57	15,987
KW	Girls	0	#342	175	19,177
CZ	Girls	0	#346	6	5,378
JO	Boys	0	#346	32	7,057
BR		0	#354	7	5,969
SD	Girls	0	#355	4	7,678
United States	Boys	2024	#356	819	7,044
PL	Girls	0	#361	4	5,096
OM	Boys	0	#365	716	17,948
YE		0	#367	15	8,639
NG	Boys	0	#368	1,093	16,906
Germany		0	#370	69	2,542
France	Boys	2021	#374	14	2,865
Austria	Boys	0	#389	54	2,180
SG	Girls	0	#397	193	18,916
BD	Girls	0	#402	5	8,413
MX		0	#403	11	8,339
BO		0	#405	4	6,868
Austria	Girls	0	#406	15	1,885
UY	Boys	0	#409	5	5,922
EG		0	#410	3	6,387
IN	Girls	0	#413	227	13,121
HK	Girls	0	#414	207	16,104
RU	Boys	0	#415	91	12,621
PA	Boys	0	#424	58	9,305
CL		0	#434	1	6,867
Spain		0	#435	18	2,326
AE	Girls	0	#437	117	20,968
AR	Boys	0	#458	10	7,628
GT	Boys	0	#461	14	7,625
CM	Boys	0	#466	85	12,054
CO		0	#467	14	7,768
PT	Girls	0	#468	4	7,952
RU	Girls	0	#475	24	11,913
PS	Boys	0	#480	69	10,655
IR	Boys	0	#491	62	10,162
LY		0	#503	33	12,703
BD	Boys	0	#507	70	10,045
CR	Girls	0	#507	26	11,342
PA	Girls	0	#510	9	9,861
Germany	Boys	0	#512	535	5,697
IL	Boys	0	#514	94	10,983
IQ	Girls	0	#519	7	11,303
UY	Girls	0	#535	2	6,731
GT	Girls	0	#538	4	7,500
IR	Girls	0	#539	7	8,334
PS	Girls	0	#542	6	10,981
CM	Girls	0	#554	7	11,671
LB		0	#563	96	13,263
BO	Boys	0	#572	21	9,244
SA	Girls	0	#578	373	25,931
MY	Girls	0	#591	442	24,821
IQ	Boys	0	#598	70	13,071
NG	Girls	0	#598	194	15,093
IL	Girls	0	#608	10	11,648
CL	Boys	0	#619	47	13,390
AR	Girls	0	#625	6	8,289
Finland	Boys	2026	#639	44	3,552
IT		0	#641	74	4,183
Germany	Girls	0	#655	187	4,949
ZA	Girls	0	#686	544	25,928
BR	Boys	0	#705	47	12,213
SY		0	#717	12	11,684
Finland	Girls	2026	#720	19	3,895
Spain	Boys	0	#721	213	5,610
CO	Boys	0	#736	188	15,656
EG	Boys	0	#760	127	15,035
MX	Boys	0	#771	215	16,355
TN		0	#799	31	13,765
IT	Boys	0	#804	757	10,046
PE	Boys	0	#814	65	14,506
BR	Girls	0	#837	105	12,708
NL	Girls	0	#846	110	5,933
United States	Girls	2024	#901	16	8,487
CL	Girls	0	#909	7	14,098
EG	Girls	0	#943	17	14,742
MA		0	#956	173	20,986
Spain	Girls	0	#958	26	5,561
PE	Girls	0	#1,002	9	14,861
CO	Girls	0	#1,058	21	16,140
DZ		0	#1,080	97	20,130
MX	Girls	0	#1,127	57	17,781
TR		0	#1,141	71	19,440
IT	Girls	0	#1,369	78	9,415

Jay is popular in 96 countries — most recent births per country:

Scotland, United Kingdom

Ireland

Canada

France

Switzerland

United States

England & Wales, United Kingdom

Flanders, Belgium

Sweden

New York City (Hispanic), United States

Germany

New York City (Asian & Pacific Islander), United States

Austria

Belgium