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At a Glance: Name: Faye – Meaning: fairy (variant of Fay, possibly also linked to an Old French word for loyalty/faith) – Origin: Middle English (variant of Fay) – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: FAY
Faye is pronounced FAY, a short and simple Middle English variant of Fay that carries the meaning "fairy" — with a possible deeper root in an Old French word for loyalty or faith. It has an easygoing, uncluttered feel, equally at home as something quietly classic or a little more free-spirited. It's also easy to say and spell, which keeps it from feeling fussy on a birth certificate or a class roster.
Meaning & Origin of Faye
Meaning: Fairy (variant of fay, possibly also linked to an old french word for loyalty/faith).
Origin: Middle English (variant of Fay).
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Faye
Phonetic: FAY IPA: /ˈfeɪ/
Popularity of Faye
Faye hit its high point in 1934, when 1,420 baby girls were given the name and it ranked #146 nationally. By 2024 it had settled much further down the list at #538, given to 559 girls that year.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.
Make Faye Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Faye, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Faye mean?
Fairy (variant of fay, possibly also linked to an old french word for loyalty/faith). (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Faye)
How do you pronounce Faye?
Faye is pronounced FAY (IPA: /ˈfeɪ/).
Is Faye a popular name right now?
Faye peaked at #146 in 1934 and is ranked #538 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
📊 How popular is Faye? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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