Boy nameCurrently #779 in the USSteady
Ray
//ˈɹeɪ//
1 syllablePeak year: 19263 lettersStarts with R
Meaning & origin
We're still researching Ray's meaning
We don't have a verified origin story for this name yet — we'd rather leave it blank than make one up. Check back soon, or explore the popularity data below in the meantime.
Ray's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Ray |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 150 |
| 1881 | 159 |
| 1882 | 210 |
| 1883 | 212 |
| 1884 | 254 |
| 1885 | 262 |
| 1886 | 292 |
| 1887 | 280 |
| 1888 | 360 |
| 1889 | 385 |
| 1890 | 393 |
| 1891 | 396 |
| 1892 | 423 |
| 1893 | 413 |
| 1894 | 419 |
| 1895 | 408 |
| 1896 | 461 |
| 1897 | 441 |
| 1898 | 425 |
| 1899 | 348 |
| 1900 | 492 |
| 1901 | 355 |
| 1902 | 431 |
| 1903 | 431 |
| 1904 | 462 |
| 1905 | 467 |
| 1906 | 465 |
| 1907 | 513 |
| 1908 | 489 |
| 1909 | 525 |
| 1910 | 601 |
| 1911 | 665 |
| 1912 | 1,110 |
| 1913 | 1,395 |
| 1914 | 1,765 |
| 1915 | 2,491 |
| 1916 | 2,466 |
| 1917 | 2,559 |
| 1918 | 2,925 |
| 1919 | 2,848 |
| 1920 | 3,224 |
| 1921 | 3,208 |
| 1922 | 3,147 |
| 1923 | 3,281 |
| 1924 | 3,491 |
| 1925 | 3,316 |
| 1926 | 3,529 |
| 1927 | 3,361 |
| 1928 | 3,343 |
| 1929 | 3,290 |
| 1930 | 3,355 |
| 1931 | 3,244 |
| 1932 | 3,336 |
| 1933 | 3,101 |
| 1934 | 3,244 |
| 1935 | 3,144 |
| 1936 | 3,003 |
| 1937 | 2,774 |
| 1938 | 2,925 |
| 1939 | 2,754 |
| 1940 | 2,842 |
| 1941 | 2,729 |
| 1942 | 3,114 |
| 1943 | 3,106 |
| 1944 | 2,950 |
| 1945 | 2,780 |
| 1946 | 3,218 |
| 1947 | 3,415 |
| 1948 | 3,182 |
| 1949 | 2,750 |
| 1950 | 2,668 |
| 1951 | 2,720 |
| 1952 | 2,729 |
| 1953 | 2,864 |
| 1954 | 3,020 |
| 1955 | 3,106 |
| 1956 | 3,283 |
| 1957 | 3,451 |
| 1958 | 3,239 |
| 1959 | 3,267 |
| 1960 | 3,112 |
| 1961 | 2,952 |
| 1962 | 2,708 |
| 1963 | 2,628 |
| 1964 | 2,300 |
| 1965 | 2,116 |
| 1966 | 1,854 |
| 1967 | 1,634 |
| 1968 | 1,617 |
| 1969 | 1,546 |
| 1970 | 1,488 |
| 1971 | 1,294 |
| 1972 | 1,195 |
| 1973 | 1,067 |
| 1974 | 968 |
| 1975 | 918 |
| 1976 | 865 |
| 1977 | 825 |
| 1978 | 817 |
| 1979 | 842 |
| 1980 | 854 |
| 1981 | 865 |
| 1982 | 883 |
| 1983 | 777 |
| 1984 | 773 |
| 1985 | 778 |
| 1986 | 744 |
| 1987 | 785 |
| 1988 | 759 |
| 1989 | 732 |
| 1990 | 764 |
| 1991 | 700 |
| 1992 | 594 |
| 1993 | 570 |
| 1994 | 574 |
| 1995 | 495 |
| 1996 | 445 |
| 1997 | 451 |
| 1998 | 446 |
| 1999 | 426 |
| 2000 | 441 |
| 2001 | 366 |
| 2002 | 386 |
| 2003 | 336 |
| 2004 | 391 |
| 2005 | 428 |
| 2006 | 451 |
| 2007 | 384 |
| 2008 | 380 |
| 2009 | 371 |
| 2010 | 364 |
| 2011 | 346 |
| 2012 | 332 |
| 2013 | 374 |
| 2014 | 338 |
| 2015 | 358 |
| 2016 | 345 |
| 2017 | 327 |
| 2018 | 351 |
| 2019 | 345 |
| 2020 | 365 |
| 2021 | 309 |
| 2022 | 361 |
| 2023 | 362 |
| 2024 | 349 |
Ray through the decades
- Ray peaked in 1926, when 3,529 babies were named Ray in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Ray has fallen 8% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Ray currently ranks #779 in the US and is holding steady.