Ray
5 countries#791 in United States, 2025Popularity across 5 countries
Each line is scaled to its own peak, so you can compare when Ray was in fashion in each country, whatever the population size.
Country by country
🇺🇸 United States
210,307 births recorded 1880–2025 · currently #791 · peaked in 1926 with 3,529 births
Most common in: Texas, California, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois
Source: Social Security Administration, official birth-registration data
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
1,401 births recorded 1974–2025 · currently #649 · peaked in 2019 with 106 births (England & Wales + Scotland + Northern Ireland combined)
Source: ONS, National Records of Scotland & NISRA (combined), official birth-registration data
🏴🏴 England & Wales
1,176 births recorded 1996–2021 · currently #487 · peaked in 2019 with 98 births
Source: Office for National Statistics, official birth-registration data
🏴 Scotland
200 births recorded 1974–2025 · currently #560 · peaked in 2013 with 10 births
Source: National Records of Scotland, official birth-registration data
🇫🇷 France
94 births recorded 1955–2022 · currently #4603 · peaked in 2017 with 10 births
Most common in: Guyane
Source: INSEE, official birth-registration data
Northern Ireland
25 births recorded 2009–2023 · peaked in 2021 with 6 births
Source: NISRA, official birth-registration data
United States rank history
Ray’s rank among boys’ names, most recent 20 years on record.
| Year | Rank | vs. prior yr |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | #556 | — |
| 2007 | #633 | ↓77 |
| 2008 | #651 | ↓18 |
| 2009 | #669 | ↓18 |
| 2010 | #659 | ↑10 |
| 2011 | #678 | ↓19 |
| 2012 | #719 | ↓41 |
| 2013 | #665 | ↑54 |
| 2014 | #728 | ↓63 |
| 2015 | #712 | ↑16 |
| 2016 | #750 | ↓38 |
| 2017 | #767 | ↓17 |
| 2018 | #726 | ↑41 |
| 2019 | #735 | ↓9 |
| 2020 | #724 | ↑11 |
| 2021 | #840 | ↓116 |
| 2022 | #760 | ↑80 |
| 2023 | #763 | ↓3 |
| 2024 | #777 | ↓14 |
| 2025 | #791 | ↓14 |
Frequently asked questions about Ray
Is Ray a popular name?
Yes — Ray currently ranks #791 among boys’ names in United States as of 2025, based on official birth records.
Is Ray more common for boys or girls?
Ray is recorded predominantly as a boys’ name in official United States birth data.
When was Ray most popular?
Ray peaked in 1926 in United States, with 3,529 recorded births that year.
Is Ray rising or falling in popularity?
In United States, Ray’s popularity is falling — its rank has slipped from #95 in 1880 to #791 in 2025.
How many babies have been named Ray?
At least 211,802 babies have been recorded with the name Ray across official birth statistics in 5 countries.
Is Ray popular in more than one country?
Yes — Ray appears in official birth records in 5 countries: United States, England & Wales, Scotland, France, Northern Ireland.
What names are similar in popularity to Ray?
Based on real 2025 ranking data in United States, names ranked closest to Ray include Barron, Fisher, Jaxxon, Teo.
Similar names right now
Ranked directly next to Ray in United States, 2025 — a real popularity match, not a subjective list.