Ray
Ray was the 792nd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 319 babies. Its best year was 1891, when it ranked 49th; the most babies were born in 1957 (3,410). Over the last ten years it has moved down 79 places. More babies were named Ray in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Meaning short form of Raymond · English, Germanic
Say it RAY /ɹeɪ/
- Rank in 2025
- #792 boys, down 67 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 319boys
- Girls and boys
- 7% girls, 93% boys2021–2025
- Peak year
- 19573,410 babies
- Total since 1880
- 210,307babies recorded
What does the name Ray mean?
As a first name Ray is mainly a short form of Raymond, a Germanic name from ragin 'advice, counsel' and mund 'protection'. It is also an English surname with several sources: pet forms of Raymond, Old French rei 'king' (compare Roy), and Old English rā 'roe deer'. For girls it is also a short form of Rachel, usually spelled Rae. Ray Charles is a well-known bearer.
ragin (Old High German, “advice, counsel”)mund (Old High German, “protection”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Raymond, Rae, Raye, Roy.
See also: Germanic names, names that mean wisdom, names that mean protector.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Ray', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Raymond', DMNES (Durham University)
Ray popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #6,274 | #792 | 19 | 319 |
| 2020 | #5,618 | #725 | 22 | 343 |
| 2010 | — | #661 | — | 364 |
| 2000 | #14,597 | #517 | 6 | 435 |
| 1990 | #9,039 | #329 | 9 | 755 |
| 1980 | #6,641 | #261 | 10 | 843 |
| 1970 | #2,754 | #186 | 26 | 1,462 |
| 1960 | #2,047 | #121 | 32 | 3,079 |
| 1950 | #1,671 | #111 | 32 | 2,636 |
| 1940 | #1,060 | #77 | 47 | 2,795 |
| 1930 | #682 | #57 | 102 | 3,254 |
| 1920 | #606 | #67 | 138 | 3,086 |
| 1910 | #547 | #68 | 56 | 545 |
| 1900 | #601 | #55 | 35 | 457 |
| 1890 | #381 | #56 | 44 | 349 |
| 1880 | #668 | #95 | 8 | 142 |
How popular is Ray, counting every spelling?
Ray is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #519 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #792 for Ray on its own. Together these spellings went to 581 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ray | 319 | #792 | 1,595 |
| Rey | 262 | #908 | 1,532 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Ray?
319 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Ray (0.09 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Ray born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 26 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Ray.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Ray?
About 84,700 people born in the US named Ray are alive today, with a median age of 64; half are between 46 and 74. That makes Ray a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Ray by state
How common Ray was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Utah (2.0×), California (1.7×). In 20 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Ray: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Ray, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Ray · Sibling names for Ray
Ray is also a nickname for Raymond and Raylan.
Questions about the name Ray
What does Ray mean?
Ray means “short form of Raymond” (English, Germanic origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Ray?
Ray was the 792nd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 319 babies. Its best year was 1891, when it ranked 49th; the most babies were born in 1957 (3,410). Over the last ten years it has moved down 79 places. More babies were named Ray in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Is Ray a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, 7% girls, 93% boys given the name Ray in the US.
Where is Ray most popular?
In 2021–2025, Ray was most common in Alaska (0.42 per 1,000 boys), followed by Utah and California.