Ray
#6,116 for girls in 2025, 19 births · #791 for boys in 2025, 319 births
Given to boys 97.3% of the time
Showing
- Peak · boys
- 1891 · 360 births
- Debut · boys
- 142 births
- In top 100 · boys
- 69 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · boys
- 204,701since 1880
Ray over time
boys
Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #6,116 | 19 | #791 | 319 |
| 2024 | #4,772 | 28 | #777 | 323 |
| 2023 | #4,999 | 26 | #763 | 338 |
| 2022 | #4,671 | 29 | #760 | 332 |
| 2021 | #4,833 | 27 | #840 | 283 |
| 2020 | #5,487 | 22 | #724 | 343 |
| 2019 | #6,698 | 17 | #735 | 328 |
| 2018 | #5,785 | 21 | #726 | 330 |
| 2017 | #5,821 | 21 | #767 | 306 |
| 2016 | #5,985 | 21 | #750 | 324 |
| 2015 | #10,148 | 10 | #712 | 349 |
| 2014 | #10,955 | 9 | #728 | 329 |
| 2013 | #9,612 | 11 | #665 | 363 |
| 2012 | #16,869 | 5 | #719 | 327 |
| 2011 | — | #678 | 347 | |
| 2010 | — | #659 | 364 | |
| 2009 | #17,294 | 5 | #669 | 366 |
| 2008 | #15,405 | 6 | #651 | 374 |
| 2007 | — | #633 | 384 | |
| 2006 | — | #556 | 451 | |
| 2005 | #11,834 | 8 | #563 | 420 |
| 2004 | — | #577 | 391 | |
| 2003 | — | #617 | 336 | |
| 2002 | #10,246 | 9 | #578 | 377 |
| 2001 | #13,521 | 6 | #573 | 360 |
| 2000 | #13,154 | 6 | #516 | 435 |
| 1999 | #7,716 | 12 | #513 | 414 |
| 1998 | — | #489 | 446 | |
| 1997 | #9,802 | 8 | #483 | 443 |
| 1996 | — | #483 | 445 | |
| 1995 | — | #454 | 495 | |
| 1994 | #8,122 | 10 | #405 | 564 |
| 1993 | #9,559 | 8 | #412 | 562 |
| 1992 | #7,067 | 12 | #394 | 582 |
| 1991 | #13,147 | 5 | #349 | 695 |
| 1990 | #8,501 | 9 | #328 | 755 |
| 1989 | #7,449 | 10 | #326 | 722 |
| 1988 | #5,321 | 15 | #305 | 744 |
| 1987 | #5,074 | 15 | #283 | 769 |
| 1986 | #9,545 | 6 | #284 | 738 |
| 1985 | #6,457 | 10 | #271 | 768 |
| 1984 | #8,153 | 7 | #273 | 766 |
| 1983 | #5,148 | 13 | #272 | 764 |
| 1982 | #4,527 | 16 | #254 | 866 |
| 1981 | #6,323 | 10 | #255 | 855 |
| 1980 | #6,319 | 10 | #261 | 843 |
| 1979 | #4,052 | 18 | #258 | 824 |
| 1978 | #3,196 | 24 | #255 | 793 |
| 1977 | #3,911 | 18 | #251 | 807 |
| 1976 | #4,154 | 15 | #238 | 850 |
| 1975 | #3,259 | 21 | #228 | 895 |
| 1974 | #4,459 | 13 | #220 | 955 |
| 1973 | #3,122 | 21 | #207 | 1,046 |
| 1972 | #3,543 | 17 | #197 | 1,178 |
| 1971 | #2,665 | 27 | #196 | 1,267 |
| 1970 | #2,705 | 26 | #186 | 1,462 |
| 1969 | #2,704 | 24 | #182 | 1,522 |
| 1968 | #2,538 | 24 | #170 | 1,593 |
| 1967 | #2,963 | 18 | #165 | 1,616 |
| 1966 | #2,249 | 28 | #155 | 1,825 |
| 1965 | #2,464 | 24 | #147 | 2,092 |
| 1964 | #2,600 | 23 | #142 | 2,280 |
| 1963 | #1,738 | 44 | #131 | 2,581 |
| 1962 | #2,031 | 33 | #132 | 2,675 |
| 1961 | #2,070 | 32 | #126 | 2,920 |
| 1960 | #2,013 | 32 | #121 | 3,079 |
| 1959 | #1,596 | 46 | #121 | 3,219 |
| 1958 | #1,512 | 50 | #121 | 3,188 |
| 1957 | #1,652 | 42 | #111 | 3,410 |
| 1956 | #1,453 | 53 | #113 | 3,230 |
| 1955 | #1,691 | 37 | #113 | 3,070 |
| 1954 | #1,540 | 43 | #118 | 2,976 |
| 1953 | #1,389 | 49 | #115 | 2,815 |
| 1952 | #1,540 | 39 | #113 | 2,690 |
| 1951 | #1,450 | 42 | #114 | 2,678 |
| 1950 | #1,653 | 32 | #110 | 2,636 |
| 1949 | #1,452 | 40 | #109 | 2,710 |
| 1948 | #1,327 | 48 | #100 | 3,134 |
| 1947 | #1,545 | 37 | #97 | 3,379 |
| 1946 | #1,239 | 48 | #95 | 3,169 |
| 1945 | #1,261 | 40 | #92 | 2,740 |
| 1944 | #1,153 | 46 | #86 | 2,904 |
| 1943 | #1,228 | 43 | #84 | 3,063 |
| 1942 | #1,137 | 48 | #84 | 3,067 |
| 1941 | #1,310 | 34 | #83 | 2,695 |
| 1940 | #1,046 | 47 | #77 | 2,795 |
| 1939 | #1,066 | 45 | #74 | 2,709 |
| 1938 | #1,079 | 44 | #72 | 2,881 |
| 1937 | #1,002 | 49 | #71 | 2,725 |
| 1936 | #847 | 64 | #64 | 2,939 |
| 1935 | #785 | 74 | #64 | 3,070 |
| 1934 | #815 | 68 | #63 | 3,177 |
| 1933 | #808 | 68 | #62 | 3,032 |
| 1932 | #801 | 72 | #59 | 3,263 |
| 1931 | #740 | 83 | #60 | 3,161 |
| 1930 | #679 | 102 | #57 | 3,254 |
| 1929 | #648 | 116 | #57 | 3,174 |
| 1928 | #724 | 95 | #57 | 3,248 |
| 1927 | #702 | 108 | #60 | 3,253 |
| 1926 | #660 | 120 | #57 | 3,409 |
| 1925 | #750 | 97 | #64 | 3,219 |
| 1924 | #673 | 122 | #60 | 3,369 |
| 1923 | #678 | 120 | #61 | 3,161 |
| 1922 | #742 | 96 | #65 | 3,051 |
| 1921 | #643 | 133 | #67 | 3,075 |
| 1920 | #605 | 138 | #67 | 3,086 |
| 1919 | #624 | 126 | #69 | 2,722 |
| 1918 | #556 | 162 | #69 | 2,763 |
| 1917 | #592 | 133 | #74 | 2,426 |
| 1916 | #584 | 132 | #73 | 2,334 |
| 1915 | #576 | 126 | #67 | 2,365 |
| 1914 | #536 | 108 | #74 | 1,657 |
| 1913 | #628 | 67 | #73 | 1,328 |
| 1912 | #639 | 60 | #77 | 1,050 |
| 1911 | #522 | 63 | #71 | 602 |
| 1910 | #543 | 56 | #67 | 545 |
| 1909 | #535 | 50 | #66 | 475 |
| 1908 | #567 | 43 | #67 | 446 |
| 1907 | #601 | 38 | #60 | 475 |
| 1906 | #515 | 44 | #60 | 421 |
| 1905 | #519 | 43 | #60 | 424 |
| 1904 | #629 | 30 | #55 | 432 |
| 1903 | #558 | 34 | #55 | 397 |
| 1902 | #502 | 40 | #57 | 391 |
| 1901 | #795 | 17 | #59 | 338 |
| 1900 | #589 | 35 | #55 | 457 |
| 1899 | #514 | 33 | #61 | 315 |
| 1898 | #581 | 31 | #56 | 394 |
| 1897 | #440 | 44 | #51 | 397 |
| 1896 | #499 | 35 | #50 | 426 |
| 1895 | #565 | 28 | #56 | 380 |
| 1894 | #442 | 40 | #57 | 379 |
| 1893 | #449 | 35 | #56 | 378 |
| 1892 | #434 | 38 | #57 | 385 |
| 1891 | #413 | 36 | #49 | 360 |
| 1890 | #378 | 44 | #56 | 349 |
| 1889 | #439 | 30 | #54 | 355 |
| 1888 | #458 | 29 | #63 | 331 |
| 1887 | #471 | 22 | #66 | 258 |
| 1886 | #476 | 21 | #67 | 271 |
| 1885 | #413 | 25 | #74 | 237 |
| 1884 | #425 | 22 | #77 | 232 |
| 1883 | #615 | 10 | #78 | 202 |
| 1882 | #475 | 15 | #82 | 195 |
| 1881 | #503 | 11 | #86 | 148 |
| 1880 | #628 | 8 | #95 | 142 |
First appearance
1880
In the first year the SSA published name data, Ray was already there! It came in at #95, and was given to 142 baby boys.
Quietest stretch: 1880–1883, when fewer than 210 boys a year got the name.
Where Ray is popular in 1986
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
Top states · boys
- Hawaii#121 · 1 in 590
- New Mexico#154 · 1 in 757
- Nevada#187 · 1 in 1,277
- Arkansas#196 · 1 in 1,342
- Mississippi#198 · 1 in 1,138
Best ever in a state: #12 in Idaho, 1911.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | #121 | 11 | 1 in 590 |
| New Mexico | #154 | 15 | 1 in 757 |
| Nevada | #187 | 5 | 1 in 1,277 |
| Arkansas | #196 | 11 | 1 in 1,342 |
| Mississippi | #198 | 15 | 1 in 1,138 |
| South Carolina | #202 | 17 | 1 in 1,240 |
| Louisiana | #215 | 29 | 1 in 1,174 |
| Texas | #225 | 116 | 1 in 1,261 |
| Michigan | #245 | 26 | 1 in 2,454 |
| Arizona | #248 | 16 | 1 in 1,701 |
| Utah | #252 | 8 | 1 in 2,065 |
| North Carolina | #256 | 20 | 1 in 2,044 |
| Virginia | #259 | 17 | 1 in 2,224 |
| Colorado | #260 | 11 | 1 in 2,289 |
| Florida | #261 | 40 | 1 in 1,910 |
| Pennsylvania | #263 | 25 | 1 in 3,089 |
| Ohio | #269 | 24 | 1 in 3,145 |
| Alabama | #270 | 12 | 1 in 2,107 |
| California | #277 | 111 | 1 in 2,057 |
| Kentucky | #288 | 7 | 1 in 3,418 |
| Kansas | #289 | 6 | 1 in 2,877 |
| Indiana | #295 | 11 | 1 in 3,359 |
| New York | #307 | 47 | 1 in 2,600 |
| Georgia | #311 | 17 | 1 in 2,599 |
| New Jersey | #316 | 14 | 1 in 3,399 |
| Illinois | #325 | 27 | 1 in 2,956 |
| Maryland | #325 | 8 | 1 in 3,537 |
| Minnesota | #356 | 5 | 1 in 6,147 |
| Massachusetts | #366 | 7 | 1 in 5,604 |
| Washington | #397 | 7 | 1 in 4,472 |
| Tennessee | #421 | 6 | 1 in 5,220 |
| Oklahoma | #433 | 5 | 1 in 4,497 |
| Missouri | #452 | 6 | 1 in 5,996 |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Iowa | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nebraska | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Oregon | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| West Virginia | — | — | — |
| Wisconsin | — | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | — |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.
See more about Ray
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
- 14 spots since 2024 (#777 → #791)
- 67 spots since 2020 (#724 → #791)
- 79 spots since 2015 (#712 → #791)
- Biggest jump: 80 spots in 2022 (#840 → #760)
- Biggest drop: 116 spots in 2021 (#724 → #840)
Rise & fade · boys
11 yrs to peak
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 1891 at #49 (360 births)
- Not yet halved from its peak
Top of the charts · boys
Top 100 for 69 yrs
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: 69 yrs · run 1880–1948
- Top 1,000: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
Share of babies · boys
1 in 281
- Highest: 1 in 281 boys born in 1896 were named Ray (0.36%)
- Latest: 1 in 5,354 boys born in 2025 (0.02%)
- Its best rank, #49 in 1891, was only 1 in 281 (0.36%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · boys
The 1920s
- 15.7% of all boys named Ray (32,045) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 2,371 | #54 (1889) | #74 |
| 1890s | 3,763 | #49 (1891) | #55 |
| 1900s | 4,256 | #55 (1900) | #59 |
| 1910s | 17,792 | #67 (1915) | #71 |
| 1920s | 32,045 | #57 (1926) | #62 |
| 1930s | 30,211 | #57 (1930) | #65 |
| 1940s | 29,656 | #77 (1940) | #91 |
| 1950s | 29,912 | #110 (1950) | #115 |
| 1960s | 22,183 | #121 (1960) | #147 |
| 1970s | 10,077 | #186 (1970) | #224 |
| 1980s | 7,835 | #254 (1982) | #278 |
| 1990s | 5,401 | #328 (1990) | #431 |
| 2000s | 3,894 | #516 (2000) | #593 |
| 2010s | 3,367 | #659 (2010) | #714 |
| 2020s | 1,938 | #724 (2020) | #776 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Ray in 1986
girls
#9,545
6 births · 1 in 285,925 girls
boys
#284
738 births · 1 in 2,495 boys
Top girls' names in 1986
Top boys' names in 1986
More about 1986
girls
1,715,547 girls got a published name in 1986; 1 in 285,925 of them was named Ray, which outranked 25.6% of the 12,836 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 18.1% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
Ranked beside Ray
- #8,523Zona7
- #8,523Zsazsa7
- #8,523Zulay7
- #9,545Ray6
- #9,545Aasiya6
- #9,545Abrianna6
- #9,545Adaeze6
- #10,912Aamanda5
- #10,912Abegail5
- #10,912Abel5
Tied with 1,366 names at #9,545; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Biggest movers since 1985
Risers
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
1,841,515 boys got a published name in 1986; 1 in 2,495 of them was named Ray, which outranked 96.4% of the 7,830 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 22.2% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).