Given name & surname
Hays
“from the hedged place”
Hays is a variant of Hawes. One English interpretation is “from the hedged place.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Hays is a variant of Hawes. One English interpretation is “from the hedged place.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Hays is a variant of Hawes. An origin associated with Hawes is English.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Hays through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 745
- 740 boys · 5 girls
- Most popular year
- 2024
- 25 babies
- 2025
- 17
- #5,469 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +18%
- Rising
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 17 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 5,469 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 12.1% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 489 as a first name in 2020; 33,013 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Hays’s family of names
Hays has a related form in Hawes. In English usage, Hays has a related form in Hayes.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Hays
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Hays, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Hank
“the ruler of the house” · “home”
>99% boys
Ares
“Ares' dome” · “the containment of competition”
96% boys · 4% girls
Ayaan
Ayaan is a masculine given name.
98% boys · 2% girls
Hendrix
Hendrix is a surname. It is used in English and Dutch.
94% boys · 6% girls
Hugo
“a great thinker” · “having a bright mind”
>99% boys
Rhys
“ardour” · “having great enthusiasm for life”
95% boys · 5% girls
Kayce
“a vigilant woman”
87% boys · 13% girls
Banks
Banks is a surname.
91% boys · 9% girls