Saray
Saray was the 3568th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 43 babies. Its best year was 2007, when it ranked 1779th with 121 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 274 places. More babies were named Saray in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Sarai) my princess (earlier name of Sarah) · Hebrew
- Rank in 2025
- #3,568 girls, down 240 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 43girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2007121 babies
- Total since 1880
- 2,331babies recorded
What does the name Saray mean?
Saray is a spelling of Sarai, pronounced the same way, so it shares Sarai's meaning and origin.
Sarai is the original name of Sarah, Abraham's wife, before God renamed her (Genesis 17:15). Wiktionary derives it from Hebrew sar, "prince, chief", and it is usually read as "my princess"; the Random House dictionary calls it an older and dialect form of Sarah. A Persian word sarāy, "palace", is unrelated. It is used mostly in Spanish-speaking families in the US.
שָׂרַי (Biblical Hebrew, “Sarai”)שַׂר (Biblical Hebrew, “prince, chief”)
How sure is this? Probable. 'My princess' is the usual reading; the -ai ending is interpreted differently.
Related names: Sarah, Sara, Sari.
See also: Hebrew names, names that mean king or queen.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Sarai', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Hebrew Bible / Tanakh, Genesis 17.15, JPS translation with notes (via Sefaria), Sefaria
- Dictionary.com Unabridged (based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary), with Collins English Dictionary, s.v. 'Sarai', Dictionary.com / Random House / HarperCollins
Saray popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #3,568 | 43 |
| 2020 | #3,328 | 47 |
| 2010 | #2,272 | 85 |
| 2000 | #1,965 | 86 |
| 1990 | #3,608 | 30 |
| 1980 | #8,875 | 7 |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Saray, counting every spelling?
Saray is a spelling of Sarai, a name family that ranked #423 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #3,568 for Saray on its own. Together these spellings went to 776 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sarai | 733 | #425 | 3,606 |
| Saray | 43 | #3,568 | 194 |
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 Saray?
43 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Saray (0.01 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Saray 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 195 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Saray.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Saray?
About 2,300 people born in the US named Saray are alive today, with a median age of 21; half are between 14 and 27. That makes Saray mostly worn by children and young adults.
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.
Saray by state
How common Saray was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. In 45 states fewer than five girls 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 Saray: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Saray, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Saray
What does Saray mean?
Saray is a spelling of Sarai, which means “my princess (earlier name of Sarah)” (Hebrew origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Saray?
Saray was the 3568th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 43 babies. Its best year was 2007, when it ranked 1779th with 121 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 274 places. More babies were named Saray in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Is Saray a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Saray in the US.
Where is Saray most popular?
In 2021–2025, Saray was most common in New Jersey (0.09 per 1,000 girls), followed by New York and Florida.