Meaning & Origin
A surname transferred from the nickname.
Ray is a boy's and girl's baby name of Old French origin, either a short form of Raymond — from the Old French Raimund, meaning "wise protector" — or a transferred surname from the Old French rei ("king"). Ray has functioned as both a standalone name and a beloved middle name for generations.
Ray ranked in the U.S. top 50 boys' names through the 1920s and 1940s. Ray Charles, the "Genius of Soul," gave the name an association with transcendent musical artistry. Sugar Ray Robinson, widely considered the greatest pound-for-pound boxer of all time, adds athletic greatness to the name's legacy. One syllable; enormous presence.