Ray
Ray is a distinctive choice, ranked #602 in 2025. Your child is likely to be the only Ray in their class.
About the Name Ray
Ray is climbing rapidly up the charts, having climbed 1898 places in just five years. Its best recorded rank was #513 in 2014 — and current momentum suggests it could challenge that mark again. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.
Ray is uncommon in the UK, so your child is very likely to be the only Ray in their class.
In the US it ranks even higher at #779, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.
⭐ Famous People Named Ray
- Ray Slijngaard — Raymond Lothar Slijngaard is a Dutch singer and rapper best known as one half of the Eurodance duo 2 Unlimited.
- Babyface Ray — Marcellus Rayvon Register, known professionally as Babyface Ray, is an American rapper.
- Brian Ray — Brian Thomas Ray is an American musician best known as a guitarist, bassist and backing vocalist with Paul McCartney's touring band since 2002, and formerly as a musical director and guitarist for Etta James.
Biographical summaries are shortened from Wikipedia and are used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence; those summaries remain available under that same licence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Ray
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Ray
Almost certainly the only Ray in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2025)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2025)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Ray
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
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Notable people who share this name, from history to the present day. See full list on Wikipedia