Rey
Meaningking · Spanish
- US rank
- #906
- Syllables
- 1
- Peak
- #751 in 2018
262 babies were named Rey in the US in 2025. It has dropped 27 places in five years.
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 2016–2025
US births per million boys, 1915–2025
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 Rey you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Rey
Rey Manaj
Albanian association football player
Choose Rey and your child shares a first name with Rey Manaj, an Albanian association football player. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Rey, like who?” Rey Manaj's Wikipedia article is available in 31 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Rey Manaj on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: TVSEI, CC BY 3.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 6,519 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Rey, 262 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Rey would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryRey first shows up in US birth records in 1915, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 110 years since.
- Best yearIts best year was 2018, when it reached #751.
- TrendRey has slipped 27 places over the last five years and now sits at #906. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Where it's lovedRey is most popular in Texas, where it ranks #455, followed by California (#472) and Arizona (#634). It's in the top 1,000 in 6 states.
- MeaningIn Spanish, Rey means “king”. Our records link it to English and Hebrew roots.
About the name Rey
Rey is a boy name of English and Hebrew origin meaning “king”. It has 3 letters and 1 syllable, starting with R and ending in “-rey”. US birth records list Rey for boys from 1915 to 2025, in 110 of those 111 years. Its best year was 2018, when it ranked #751 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #906, with 262 babies.
Origin:English namesHebrew names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 36 | 27,894 girls |
| 2020s | 29 | 34,965 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 5.8 | 171,233 boys |
| 1920s | 7.4 | 134,409 boys |
| 1930s | 9.0 | 110,742 boys |
| 1940s | 9.0 | 111,359 boys |
| 1950s | 15 | 68,776 boys |
| 1960s | 23 | 43,975 boys |
| 1970s | 31 | 32,531 boys |
| 1980s | 36 | 28,090 boys |
| 1990s | 59 | 16,912 boys |
| 2000s | 98 | 10,233 boys |
| 2010s | 137 | 7,316 boys |
| 2020s | 173 | 5,795 boys |
Other spellings of Rey
More English boy names
- 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
- Unisex name: Hudson · son of Hudde
- Unisex name: Julian · of the Julius family
Questions about the name Rey
What does the name Rey mean?
Rey means “king” in Spanish.
What is the origin of the name Rey?
Rey has English, Hebrew roots in our records. Other English names include Oliver, Henry, James.
Is Rey a boy or girl name?
Rey is a boy name, though a few girls get it too.
How popular is the name Rey?
Rey ranked #906 for US boys in 2025, given to 262 babies. Its best year was 2018 (#751).