Given name & surname
Fae
Fae is used as a given name and a surname. Fae is connected with Fay.
Meaning & origin
How it developed
In English use, Fae is used as a spelling variant of Fay.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1889. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Fae through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 2,683
- 0 boys · 2,683 girls
- Most popular year
- 1916
- 79 babies
- 2025
- 39
- #3,794 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +52%
- Rising fast
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 39 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 3,794 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 52.1% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 79 in 1916. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,003 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Fae’s family of names
Fae has an alternative spelling in Fay. In English usage, Fae has a related form in Fay. In Greek usage, Fae as a surname is a transliteration of Φαέ.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Fae
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Fae, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Fannie
“woman from France; one who is free”
>99% girls
Fanny
“French” · “garland”
>99% girls
Ferne
“resembling a green shadeloving plant”
>99% girls
Annamae
>99% girls
Aline
“one who pays homage to Ireland”
>99% girls
Nelle
“the shining light” · “the son of Neil; the son of a champion”
>99% girls
Elvie
“a friend of the elves” · “an elf warrior”
>99% girls
Ocie
19% boys · 81% girls