The name Kay is found both as a surname and as a given name. In English-speaking countries, it is usually a feminine name, often a short form of Katherine or one of its variants; but it is also used as a first name in its own right, and also as a masculine name (for example in India, the Netherlands, and Sweden). The alternative spelling Kaye is encountered as a surname, but also occasionally as a given name, such as actress Kaye Ballard.

Name

Female

* Kay Armen (1915–2011), stage name of Armenuhi Manoogian, American Armenian singer * Kay Curley Bennett (1922–1977), Navajo artist and writer * Kay Burley (born 1960), Sky News founder and presenter * Kay B. Cobb (1942–2023), American judge * Kay Copland, Scottish sport shooter * Kay Elson (born 1947), Australian politician * Kay Francis (1905–1968), American actress *

Kay Hagan Janet Kay Hagan (née Ruthven; May 26, 1953 – October 28, 2019) was an American lawyer, banking executive, and politician who served as a United States Senate, United States Senator from North Carolina from 2009 to 2015. A member of the Democr ...

(1953–2019), American politician * Kay Hull (born 1954), Australian politician *

Kay Bailey Hutchison Kay Bailey Hutchison (born Kathryn Ann Bailey; July 22, 1943) is an American attorney, television correspondent, politician, diplomat, and was the 22nd United States Permanent Representative to NATO from 2017 until 2021. A member of the Republic ...

(born 1943), American lawyer, politician, and diplomat *

Kay Ivey Kay Ellen Ivey ( ; born October 15, 1944) is an American politician who is the 54th governor of Alabama, serving since 2017. A Republican since 2002, Ivey was the 38th Alabama state treasurer from 2003 to 2011 and the 30th lieutenant governor o ...

(born 1944), governor of Alabama *

Kay Kendall Justine Kay Kendall McCarthy (21 May 1927 – 6 September 1959) was an English actress and singer. She began her film career in the musical film ''London Town (1946 film), London Town'' (1946), a financial failure. Kendall worked regularly unti ...

(1927–1959), British actress and comedian *

Kay Kinsman Katherine Nixon Bell (June 27, 1909 – 1998), known as Kay Kinsman, was an artist, writer and student of history and languages. She is noted for her works created with watercolour or in pen and ink depicting street views and everyday life. As an a ...

(1909–1998), Canadian artist and writer *

Kay Lahusen Katherine Lahusen (also known as Kay Tobin; January 5, 1930 – May 26, 2021) was an American photographer, writer and gay rights activist. She was the first openly lesbian American photojournalist.Riordan, Kevin (Fall 2001). "Together they spar ...

(1930–2021), American photographer, writer and gay rights activist *

Kay Matheson Kay Matheson (7 December 1928 – 6 July 2013) was a Scottish teacher, political activist, and Gaelic scholar. She was one of the four University of Glasgow students involved in the 1950 removal of the Stone of Scone. Life Matheson was born ...

(1928-2013), teacher, Gaelic scholar, one of four students involved in the

1950 removal of the Stone of Scone On 25 December 1950, four Scottish students from the University of Glasgow ( Ian Hamilton, Gavin Vernon, Kay Matheson and Alan Stuart) removed the Stone of Scone from Westminster Abbey in London and took it back to Scotland. The students wer ...

Kay Mazzo Kay Mazzo (born January 17, 1946) is an American former ballet dancer and educator. In 1961, she joined Jerome Robbins' company, Ballets USA. The following year, she joined the New York City Ballet and was promoted to principal dancer in 1969. Sh ...

(born 1946), American ballet dancer and educator * Kay A. Orr (1939), 36th governor of Nebraska, US * Kay Toinette K. T. Oslin (1942–2020), American country music singer-songwriter *

Kay Panabaker Stephanie Kay Panabaker (born May 2, 1990) is an American zoologist and former actress. She is known for her roles as Jenny Garison in the 2009 reboot of '' Fame'', Debbie Berwick on ''Phil of the Future'', and Nikki Westerly on '' Summerland''. ...

(born 1990), American actress *

Kay Parker Kay Taylor Parker (28 August 1944 – 14 October 2022) was a British pornographic film actress who later worked as a metaphysical counselor and mentor. She was the author of an autobiography ''Taboo: Sacred, Don't Touch'' which chronicles her ...

(1944–2022), English pornographic actress *

Kay Purcell Kay Purcell (6 December 1963 – 23 December 2020) was an English actress. She was best known for portraying the roles of Cynthia Daggert in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'' (2001–2002), Candice Smilie in the BBC school-based drama series ' ...

(1963–2020), English actress * Kay Redfield Jamison (born 1946), American psychologist and writer * Kay Starr (1922–2016), stage name of Katherine Starks, American pop and jazz singer * Kay Thompson (1909–1998), American author * Kay Tse (born 1977), Hong Kong Cantopop singer * Kay (singer) (born 1985), Canadian singer-songwriter * F. Kay Wallis (born ), American traditional healer and politician * Kay Young (born 1944), Canadian politician

Male

* Kay Bell, American football player and professional wrestler * Kay Christofferson, American politician * Kay van Dijk, Dutch volleyball player * Kay Kyser, American bandleader and radio personality * Kay Nielsen, Danish illustrator * Kay Pollak, Swedish film director * Kay Stephenson, American football player and coach * Prince Kay One, German singer and rapper *Jay Kay, British musician and frontman of British band

Jamiroquai Jamiroquai ( ) are an English acid jazz and funk band from London. Formed in 1992, they are fronted by vocalist Jay Kay, and were prominent in the London-based funk and acid jazz movement of the 1990s. They built on their acid jazz sound in th ...

Fictional characters

* Agent K, a character in the ''Men In Black'' film series and animated series * Kay Adams-Corleone, a character in Mario Puzo's novel ''The Godfather'' * Sir Kay, character from Arthurian legend * Kay Harker, character from the book ''The Box of Delights'' by John Masefield * Kay, a protagonist in the video game ''Legend of Kay'' * Kay, also spelled Kai, a character in Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale ''

The Snow Queen "The Snow Queen" () is an 1844 original fairy tale by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. It was first published 21 December 1844 in ''New Fairy Tales. First Volume#New Fairy Tales. First Volume. Second Collection, New Fairy Tales. First Vo ...

'' * Kay, a character in the Vertigo comic series ''Fables'', based on the above * Kay Faraday, a character in ''Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth'' * Kay Engel, a character in ''Freier Fall (2013 film)'' * Kay, protagonist from the video game Sea of Solitude * Kay Swiss, a character in '' Scott the Woz''

Name

Female

Male

Fictional characters

See also