Kay

See also: kay, käy, k’ay, and 'kay

English

Alternative forms

• Kaye, Keay

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkeɪ/
• Rhymes: -eɪ

Proper noun

Kay

1. A surname from Middle English derived from several Old and Middle English words; also adopted by immigrants whose surnames began with a K.
2. A male given name from Welsh derived from the surnames, or from a rare medieval given name (as the Sir Kay of Arthurian legend), Welsh Cai, Latinized as Caius, related to the modern male name Kai.
3. A short form of Katherine and other female names beginning with a "K"; popular as a middle name.
   • 1970, Santha Rama Rau, The Adventuress, Harper&Row, pages 99–100:

     She frowned at the girl's response. "Kay?" she said. "That is not a name. And what of your family?"
     "Catalina," the girl amended quickly. "I am used to being Kay at work. My family name is Gómez - we come from Mindanao, where we had pineapple plantations […]"

   • 2024 December 11, “The courtroom attack that led to 26 years in prison”, in BBC‎^[1]:

     Deobra Redden, 31, was caught on camera in January jumping over a desk and lunging at Judge Mary Kay Holthus, who was sentencing him in another case.

Derived terms

• Kay County

Noun

Kay (plural Kays)

1. Alternative letter-case form of kay.

Anagrams

• kya, yak

German

Proper noun

Kay

1. a male given name, variant of Kai

Turkish

Proper noun

Kay

1. a male given name