the name kay is found both as a surname (see kay (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 of kaye is encountered as a surname, but also occasionally as a given name: for instance, actress kaye ballard.