Ray

Short form of Raymond, German, "wise protector"

Musician Ray Charles, born Ray Charles Robinson, entered the world on September 23, 1930. Originating as a short form of Raymond, Ray is often used on its own as both a first and middle name. Ray might also be considered a word name, a member of the trendy family of names with sun meanings.

Last year, more than 300 baby boys were named Ray in the US, along with 27 baby girls. For girls, the Rae spelling is used far more often, though it fell off the Top 1000 more than 40 years ago. While Ray has dipped toward the bottom of the boys’ chart in recent years, it’s one of those surprising names that’s always been in the Top 1000.