Baby Name Popularity Profile

Ray

Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Ray.

✦ Wise protector or beam of light 🌍 English, German traditional nature
National Rank (2025) #792
All-Time Peak Rank #49 Achieved 1891
Total U.S. Births 204,701 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 96.2% Boy / 3.8% Girl Overwhelmingly Male
First Recorded 1880 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 1920s 3,410 births in 1957
💡 The Ray Vibe: Considered a Perennial Favorite. A historic staple that has maintained dominant national popularity for over half a century.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning Wise protector or beam of light
Language Origin English, German
Origin Type multiple
Primarily a short form of Raymond, derived from Germanic elements meaning 'counsel' and 'protection'. Also used as a direct English word name meaning 'beam of light'.
Pronunciation: RAY
Themes & Categories
traditional nature
Etymology confidence: High

📖 The Story Behind Ray

According to SSA data, Ray achieved its highest historical rank of #49 in 1891. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 1957 with 3,410 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have decreased by 8.6%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 146 consecutive years.

📊 Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Ray across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Stable
10-Year Shift -8.6% Decline
18801920196020002025

📈 Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 3,410 births in 1957
Years in Top 100 69 yrs
Years in Top 500 119 yrs
Registry Streak 146 yrs
Historical Volatility Highly Volatile
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 2,371
1890s: 3,763
1900s: 4,256
1910s: 17,792
1920s: 32,045
1930s: 30,211
1940s: 29,656
1950s: 29,912
1960s: 22,183
1970s: 10,077
1980s: 7,835
1990s: 5,401
2000s: 3,894
2010s: 3,367
2020s: 1,938

📐 Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables Ray
Letter Count 3 letters
Spelling Complexity Easy
Length Percentile Longer than 0.2% of names
Linguistic Profile: It is an isogram, meaning no two letters are repeated. Longer than 0.2% of SSA names. Starts with R, a letter used by only 4.7% of SSA names.

🛠️ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

Enter a surname or sibling name to test how it pairs with Ray.

📍 Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State West Virginia
Top States West Virginia, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Kentucky
States with Data 51
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
West Virginia Unranked 3,867 1928 Insufficient historical volume
Arkansas Unranked 4,325 1926 Insufficient historical volume
Oklahoma #778 5,391 1921 Insufficient historical volume
New Mexico Unranked 2,124 1962 Insufficient historical volume
Kentucky #692 6,538 1928 Insufficient historical volume
Idaho Unranked 1,285 1926 Insufficient historical volume
Montana Unranked 973 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Tennessee #1152 6,705 1932 Insufficient historical volume
Louisiana Unranked 5,572 1955 Insufficient historical volume
Mississippi Unranked 3,829 1955 Insufficient historical volume
Wyoming Unranked 402 1933 Insufficient historical volume
North Carolina #757 8,263 1924 Insufficient historical volume
Utah #545 2,364 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Kansas Unranked 2,863 1923 Insufficient historical volume
Alabama Unranked 4,741 1955 Insufficient historical volume
South Carolina Unranked 3,663 1959 Insufficient historical volume
Missouri Unranked 5,573 1923 Insufficient historical volume
Texas #706 18,324 1956 18.4% Decline
South Dakota Unranked 789 1921 Insufficient historical volume
Nebraska Unranked 1,711 1915 Insufficient historical volume
Virginia #778 4,924 1947 Insufficient historical volume
Iowa Unranked 2,792 1921 Insufficient historical volume
Georgia #970 5,869 1947 Insufficient historical volume
Colorado #668 2,474 1924 Insufficient historical volume
Ohio #668 9,331 1924 Insufficient historical volume
Arizona #831 2,463 1957 Insufficient historical volume
North Dakota Unranked 671 1916 Insufficient historical volume
Indiana #654 4,493 1924 Insufficient historical volume
Washington #792 3,024 1922 Insufficient historical volume
Oregon Unranked 1,690 1948 Insufficient historical volume
Illinois #1110 8,904 1926 Insufficient historical volume
Pennsylvania Unranked 9,624 1927 Insufficient historical volume
Hawaii Unranked 507 1947 Insufficient historical volume
Michigan #976 6,213 1926 Insufficient historical volume
California #612 15,958 1957 29.4% Decline
Florida #615 4,622 1957 Insufficient historical volume
Minnesota Unranked 2,321 1915 Insufficient historical volume
Maryland Unranked 1,858 1961 Insufficient historical volume
Wisconsin #669 2,427 1920 Insufficient historical volume
District of Columbia Unranked 530 1943 Insufficient historical volume
Maine Unranked 472 1957 Insufficient historical volume
Alaska Unranked 122 1961 Insufficient historical volume
Vermont Unranked 151 1948 Insufficient historical volume
New York #760 6,237 1959 Insufficient historical volume
Nevada Unranked 249 1956 Insufficient historical volume
New Jersey Unranked 1,831 1960 Insufficient historical volume
Delaware Unranked 116 1947 Insufficient historical volume
Connecticut Unranked 596 1959 Insufficient historical volume
Massachusetts Unranked 1,176 1960 Insufficient historical volume
New Hampshire Unranked 145 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Rhode Island Unranked 41 1947 Insufficient historical volume

👨‍👩‍👧 Sibling Name Suggestions

👦 Brother Suggestions
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👧 Sister Suggestions
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