Grey
Boy name · #1014 in 2025 · Rare
Grey is currently the #1014 boy name in the United States — 222 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #916, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 8,108 boys born in 2025 was named Grey.
The 112-year story
Grey first appears in the Social Security records in 1913, when 7 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2021, when 362 boys were named Grey — good for #717 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Grey per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Grey against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Grey in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Grey is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Grey will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Grey is most common
Geography matters for names, and Grey is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Grey is most common in UT (0.6 per 1,000), OH (0.3 per 1,000), NC (0.2 per 1,000), GA (0.2 per 1,000), FL (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Grey is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Grey
Statistically, parents drawn to Grey tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Rey, Gray, Finnley, Gatlin, and Huxley.
ReyGrayFinnleyGatlinHuxleyRidleyKingsleyGian
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Grey | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 222 | #1014 |
| 2024 | 276 | #873 |
| 2023 | 276 | #863 |
| 2022 | 333 | #759 |
| 2021 | 362 | #717 |
| 2020 | 302 | #777 |
| 2019 | 335 | #725 |
| 2018 | 331 | #723 |
| 2017 | 327 | #732 |
| 2016 | 321 | #757 |
| 2015 | 234 | #916 |
| 2014 | 236 | #909 |
| 2013 | 204 | #981 |
| 2012 | 185 | #1040 |
| 2011 | 126 | #1344 |
| 2010 | 106 | #1525 |
| 2009 | 132 | #1314 |
| 2008 | 113 | #1452 |
| 2007 | 103 | #1527 |
| 2006 | 87 | #1638 |
| 2005 | 49 | #2365 |
| 2004 | 69 | #1804 |
| 2003 | 57 | #2006 |
| 2002 | 55 | #1998 |
| 2001 | 48 | #2151 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Grey a popular boy name?
Grey ranked #1014 among boys in 2025 with 222 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #916.
When was the name Grey most popular?
Grey peaked in 2021, when 362 American boys received the name (ranked #717 that year). Since 2021 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Grey?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 8,108 newborn American boys was named Grey. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.