Ray
Boy name · #791 in 2025 · Rare
Ray is currently the #791 boy name in the United States — 319 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #712, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 5,643 boys born in 2025 was named Ray.
Babies named Ray per year. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Ray first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 142 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1957, when 3,410 boys were named Ray — good for #111 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Ray against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Ray in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Ray is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Ray will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Ray is most common
Geography matters for names, and Ray is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Ray is most common in IN (0.3 per 1,000), FL (0.3 per 1,000), CA (0.3 per 1,000), OH (0.3 per 1,000), NC (0.2 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Ray is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Ray
Ray belongs to the Raymond family — closely related nicknames and spellings of the same name.
Counted as one name, the Raymond family went to about 1,126 boys in 2025 — together they'd rank around #303, versus #791 for Ray alone.
Names like Ray
Statistically, parents drawn to Ray tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Ricky, Rudy, Randy, Jay, and Roy.
RickyRudyRandyJayRoyTonyRobinJoey
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Ray | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 319 | #791 |
| 2024 | 323 | #777 |
| 2023 | 338 | #763 |
| 2022 | 332 | #760 |
| 2021 | 283 | #840 |
| 2020 | 343 | #724 |
| 2019 | 328 | #735 |
| 2018 | 330 | #726 |
| 2017 | 306 | #767 |
| 2016 | 324 | #750 |
| 2015 | 349 | #712 |
| 2014 | 329 | #728 |
| 2013 | 363 | #665 |
| 2012 | 327 | #719 |
| 2011 | 347 | #678 |
| 2010 | 364 | #659 |
| 2009 | 366 | #669 |
| 2008 | 374 | #651 |
| 2007 | 384 | #633 |
| 2006 | 451 | #556 |
| 2005 | 420 | #563 |
| 2004 | 391 | #577 |
| 2003 | 336 | #617 |
| 2002 | 377 | #578 |
| 2001 | 360 | #573 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Ray a popular boy name?
Ray ranked #791 among boys in 2025 with 319 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #712.
When was the name Ray most popular?
Ray peaked in 1957, when 3,410 American boys received the name (ranked #111 that year). Since 1957 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Ray?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 5,643 newborn American boys was named Ray. 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.