Cray
A boy's name of Old English origin with 111 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
A surname.
Cray is a boy's baby name of Old English origin, a transferred surname from the River Cray in Kent, England, from the Welsh crai meaning 'fresh, new.' As a surname, Cray is associated with supercomputer pioneer Seymour Cray, who built some of the world's fastest computers.
Cray has the crisp, one-syllable confidence of names like Clay, Bray, and Tray. Whether connected to the English river or the computing legend, it carries a distinctive freshness in its short, memorable form.
EtymologyShow more
Names travel. They cross oceans, change spelling, shift pronunciation, and accumulate new associations with each culture that adopts them. Cray is rooted in the Old English tradition, but its presence in American naming since 1962 means it has been shaped by English phonetics, local customs, and the cultural context of the families who chose it.
Cray’s rarity (111 recorded births) may indicate it is strongly tied to a specific cultural community or family tradition, rather than part of the broader American naming mainstream.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Cray has 18+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1962.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 13 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 35 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 46 | ▲ |
| 1980s | 11 | ▲ |
| 1960s | 6 | — |
The Story of Cray
A Millennial name
Peaking in 1993, Cray is a Millennial-era classic. Boys named Cray are most likely born between 1983 and 2003.
How rare is Cray?
With fewer than 500 recorded births, Cray is an exceptionally rare name — a one-of-a-kind choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1962, gained momentum through the mid-century, peaked in the 1990s with 46 births that decade, and has gracefully settled into a quieter chapter.
Cray by the numbers
- Would fill 2 school buses
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(18 years, 1962–2011)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 8 | #8920 |
| 2010 | 5 | #12618 |
| 2006 | 6 | #10932 |
| 2005 | 6 | #10352 |
| 2003 | 6 | #9808 |
| 2002 | 5 | #10989 |
| 2001 | 7 | #8478 |
| 2000 | 5 | #10679 |
| 1998 | 6 | #8683 |
| 1996 | 7 | #7286 |
| 1995 | 8 | #6501 |
| 1994 | 5 | #9059 |
| 1993 | 9 | #5854 |
| 1992 | 6 | #7603 |
| 1990 | 5 | #8360 |
| 1989 | 5 | #8125 |
| 1988 | 6 | #6581 |
| 1962 | 6 | #3704 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1962–2011