Ray
Meaning & Origin
Meaning: Beam of Light; Wisdom
Background: The name Ray originates from the Old French term 'rai,' meaning 'beam of light.' This term can be traced back to the Latin 'radius,' which also means 'ray' or 'spoke.' The name Ray can also carry connotations of wisdom, as it is sometimes associated with the term 'sage.'
At a glance
Quick stats based on the history of this name.
Lifetime rank
#181
Total births
209,970
Most popular decade
1920s
(99,570 births)
10-year trend
↓ Falling (-48 ranks)
Years in Top 100
69
First recorded year
1880
Gender usage
97.3% male
2.7% female
Stats by gender
Male
- First year
- 1880
- First year births
- 142
- First year rank
- #95
- Peak year
- 1926
- Peak year births
- 3,409
- Peak rank
- #57
- Most recent year
- 2024
- Recent year births
- 322
- Recent rank
- #776
Female
- First year
- 1880
- First year births
- 8
- First year rank
- #628
- Peak year
- 1918
- Peak year births
- 162
- Peak rank
- #556
- Most recent year
- 2024
- Recent year births
- 27
- Recent rank
- #4,873
Births over time
Number of babies given this name each year.
Rank over time
Popularity rank by year (1 = most popular).