Sibling names for Ray
Names that sound like they belong in the same family as Ray usually share its era. These sister and brother names rose and fell on a similar curve to Ray, whose busiest decade was the 1920s, and are about as common, so neither child's name will feel dated or unusual next to the other.
Sister names for Ray
| Name | Meaning | Rank 2025 | Babies, last 5 years | Peak decade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Margaret | pearl | #112 | 11,281 | 1920s |
| Irma | "whole, great" | #3,181 | 316 | 1920s |
| Lenora | #539 | 1,849 | 1920s | |
| Jeanette | little Jean (Jane) | #2,391 | 336 | 1930s |
| Martha | the lady, mistress (Aramaic) | #713 | 2,067 | 1940s |
| Elvira | #1,715 | 408 | 1920s | |
| Verna | #3,513 | 158 | 1920s | |
| Marie | #618 | 2,399 | 1920s | |
| Frances | Frenchwoman (feminine of Francis) | #318 | 4,105 | 1920s |
Brother names for Ray
| Name | Meaning | Rank 2025 | Babies, last 5 years | Peak decade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carl | German form of Charles, 'man' | #1,134 | 1,102 | 1950s |
| Joe | short form of Joseph | #994 | 1,330 | 1940s |
| Pete | short form of Peter; "rock" | #2,382 | 265 | 1920s |
| Bennie | pet form of Benjamin | #2,519 | 269 | 1930s |
| Clifford | ford by a cliff | #1,352 | 709 | 1920s |
| Floyd | gray-haired (variant of Lloyd) | #2,237 | 326 | 1920s |
| Lawrence | from Laurentum; associated with laurel | #520 | 2,724 | 1950s |
| Ernest | vigor; seriousness | #1,040 | 1,001 | 1920s |
| Edward | wealthy guardian | #224 | 8,418 | 1920s |
| Edmund | "wealth" + "protection" | #1,082 | 913 | 1920s |
Ray's era
Ray ranked #792 for boys in 2025, against #713 in 2015. Its best year was 1891, at #49. Names that rose and fell with it share its period feel, which keeps the set consistent.
Timeless names that go with any sibling
These names have been used steadily for a hundred years, so they sit comfortably next to a name from any era, Ray included.
Girls: Elizabeth, Maria, Lydia, Cecilia, Julia, Miriam. Boys: Samuel, Anthony, Wesley, Vincent, Calvin, Victor.
Same era, but close to Ray
These names follow Ray's curve too, but we left them out above because they share a first letter or an ending with Ray. Some parents like that echo; if you do, start here.
How these were chosen
Each suggestion's share of US babies has followed a curve close to Ray's since 1880, and its recent number of babies is within about twelve times Ray's, so the names are in the same league. Names starting with the same letter as Ray or with the same ending are left out, so the names go together without matching. Spellings of Ray itself are excluded.