Gray
Gender-neutral name · English · Latin
Meaninggray-haired · English
- US rank
- #1,418
- Syllables
- 1
- Peak
- #789 in 1889
128 babies were named Gray in the US in 2025. It has dropped 181 places in five years.
Nicknames & spellings
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1912–2025
US births per million boys, 1885–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Gray you might not know, from US birth records. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
- How commonAbout 1 in every 13,351 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Gray, 128 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Gray would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryGray first shows up in US birth records in 1885, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 140 years since.
- Best yearIts best year was 1889, when it reached #789.
- Then vs nowGray is 3.8× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 50,251 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 13,351.
- TrendGray has slipped 181 places over the last five years and now sits at #1,418. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Where it's lovedGray is most popular in Alabama, where it ranks #622, followed by Tennessee (#638) and South Carolina (#668). It's in the top 1,000 in 4 states.
- Boy or girlGray is given to both boys and girls: 85% of the 150 babies named Gray in 2025 were boys. That makes it one of the names that truly works for either.
- MeaningIn English, Gray means “gray-haired”. Our records link it to English and Latin roots.
About the name Gray
Gray is a gender-neutral name of English and Latin origin meaning “gray-haired”. It has 4 letters and 1 syllable, starting with G and ending in “-ray”. US birth records list Gray for boys from 1885 to 2025, in 127 of those 141 years. Its best year was 1889, when it ranked #789 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #1,418, with 128 babies. Of the 150 US babies named Gray in 2025, 15% were girls and 85% were boys.
Origin:English namesLatin names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 3.1 | 322,581 girls |
| 1920s | 0.4 | 2,439,024 girls |
| 1930s | 0.5 | 2,083,333 girls |
| 1940s | 0.4 | 2,631,579 girls |
| 1950s | 0.6 | 1,666,667 girls |
| 1980s | 0.3 | 3,448,276 girls |
| 1990s | 0.7 | 1,470,588 girls |
| 2000s | 4.2 | 236,407 girls |
| 2010s | 19 | 52,383 girls |
| 2020s | 21 | 48,232 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 32 | 31,447 boys |
| 1890s | 13 | 74,627 boys |
| 1900s | 28 | 35,689 boys |
| 1910s | 20 | 49,237 boys |
| 1920s | 18 | 56,433 boys |
| 1930s | 15 | 66,845 boys |
| 1940s | 15 | 65,660 boys |
| 1950s | 16 | 61,013 boys |
| 1960s | 16 | 63,251 boys |
| 1970s | 12 | 81,301 boys |
| 1980s | 14 | 72,254 boys |
| 1990s | 22 | 44,703 boys |
| 2000s | 31 | 32,404 boys |
| 2010s | 69 | 14,465 boys |
| 2020s | 89 | 11,184 boys |
More English names
- Girl name: Olivia · olive tree
- Girl name: Charlotte · free
- Boy name: Oliver · olive tree
- Boy name: Henry · ruler of the home
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: William · resolute protector
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
Questions about the name Gray
What does the name Gray mean?
Gray means “gray-haired” in English.
What is the origin of the name Gray?
Gray has English, Latin roots in our records. Other English names include Olivia, Charlotte, Oliver.
Is Gray a boy or girl name?
Both. Gray is used for boys and girls: in 2025, 15% of US babies named Gray were girls.
How popular is the name Gray?
Gray ranked #1,418 for US boys in 2025, given to 128 babies. Its best year was 1889 (#789).