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Ray

Boy #5093 in 2023

Ray is a boy name of mixed origin.

Meaning of Ray

As an English surname, from pet forms derived from the root of Raymond. Also as an English surname, from rei.

Popularity of Ray

Popularity, 1880–2023

362 births in 2023

1880 2023

204,062 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023. Used for both boys and girls — see notes below.

Peak year

1926

3,529 babies

First recorded

1880

Earliest SSA data

Recent trend

Steady

Last 5 yrs vs. prior 5

Similar names

Boy · Germanic

Bright fame; from 'hrod' (fame) and 'beraht' (bright)

Boy · Germanic languages

From Rycharde, from Richard, from Richardus and Ricohardus, from Rīkahard, from Rīkaharduz, a construction Cognate with t=Richard

Boy · Germanic languages

Anglicized from Raghnall, itself derived from Rǫgnvaldr, from rǫgn + valdr, later partly merged with the Continental Germanic equivalent Reynold

Little king; descendant of Rían

A book of the Old Testament and the Hebrew Tanakh

Boy · Germanic languages

A number of places elsewhere

In regular use since the Reformation

Younger daughter of Laban, sister to Leah, and second wife of Jacob

About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Etymology adapted from Wiktionary under CC BY-SA 4.0. If you spot an error, please let us know.