UK name, mostly girls
Jaye
A unisex English name borrowed from the French word for joy.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2010. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Also recorded as a boys' name in the UK, with 157 boys.
Jaye is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Jaye popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2010 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4012, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 27 births.
This profile covers 158 England and Wales registrations across 13 recorded years from 1996 to 2010. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 19% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 220 living people in the UK are called Jaye. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2011 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Jaye ranked #4012 for girls in England and Wales in 2010, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 27 girls were registered as Jaye.
- • Jaye ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #793 in 2008.
- • Jaye is also recorded for boys, but the girls side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 220 living people in the UK are estimated to have Jaye as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 50.2% of Jaye registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4012
2010
Births in 2010
5
Latest year
Peak year
1996
27 births
Estimated living
220
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Jaye
In England and Wales birth records, Jaye has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 49.8% of registrations are for boys and 50.2% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Jaye registered for boys
- Ranked #4,810 in 2016
- 3 boys registered in 2016
- Peak: 1999 (22 births)
Jaye registered for girls
- Ranked #4,012 in 2010
- 5 girls registered in 2010
- Peak: 1996 (27 births)
Meaning
What does Jaye mean?
The given name Jaye has its origins in the Middle English language, emerging during the medieval period in England around the 13th century. It is derived from the Old French name "Jaye" or "Gai," which in turn comes from the Latin name "Gaius." The Latin name Gaius was a praenomen or personal name that was commonly used in ancient Rome.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Jaye can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in England from the year 1275, where a person named "Jaye de Cheltenham" is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 13th century.
In terms of historical references, the name Jaye does not appear to have any direct connections to ancient texts, religious scriptures, or significant historical records. However, its Latin root, Gaius, was a popular Roman name borne by several notable figures in ancient history.
Among the famous individuals who have carried the first name Jaye throughout history, one can mention:
1. Jaye Davidson (born 1968), a British actor and model best known for his role in the 1992 film "The Crying Game," for which he received an Academy Award nomination.
2. Jaye P. Morgan (1931-2022), an American singer and actress who performed in various television shows and films during the 1950s and 1960s.
3. Jaye Muller (born 1977), a South African professional golfer who has won multiple tournaments on the Sunshine Tour and participated in several major championships.
4. Jaye Jacobs (born 1977), an American actress and model who has appeared in various television shows and films, including "The Parker Andersons" and "The Butterfly Effect."
5. Jaye Bartell (born 1960), an American journalist and author who has written several books on topics ranging from true crime to religion and spirituality.
While the name Jaye has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, it has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including actors, musicians, athletes, and writers, among others. Despite its medieval origins, the name continues to be used in modern times, albeit with varying spellings and pronunciations.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Jaye over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Jaye in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2016. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Jaye, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2010, compared with 27 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Jaye by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Jaye was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4012 | 5 | 1 |
| 2000s | #2573 | 62 | 8 |
| 1990s | #939 | 91 | 4 |
Geography
Where Jaye is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Jaye. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Jaye ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #793 in 2008.
Across the UK
Jaye in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#793 in 2008
13 years of NRS records, 64 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Jaye
-
Jaye Davidson
actor; model; film actor
British-American actor
1968-
-
Jaye Griffiths
actor
British actress
1963-
-
Jaye Edwards
aircraft pilot
British aviator
1918-2022
Related
Names similar to Jaye
- Jessica 105,041
- Jasmine 35,227
- Jade 19,646
- Julia 11,780
- Jennifer 11,529
- Jodie 9,357
- Jemima 6,454
- Josephine 5,889
- Jessie 5,418
- Josie 5,284
- Jasmin 4,706
- Jenna 4,646
FAQ
Jaye: questions and answers
How popular is the name Jaye in the UK right now?
In 2010, Jaye was ranked #4012 for girls in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Jaye most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 27 babies registered as Jaye in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Jaye?
A unisex English name borrowed from the French word for joy.
How many people are called Jaye in the UK?
A total of 158 babies have been registered as Jaye across the 13 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 64 more in Scotland.
Where is Jaye most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Jaye ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #793 in 2008. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.