Bray
Boy name · #2781 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Bray? In official American birth records, Bray has been tracked continuously since 1970, giving it 55 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 46 baby boys were named Bray, placing it at #2781 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #3982, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 39,130 boys born in 2025 was named Bray.
Babies named Bray per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 55-year story
Bray first appears in the Social Security records in 1970, when 9 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2024, with 46 babies and a rank of #2789. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Bray against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Bray in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Bray is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Bray will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Bray is most common
State-level data for Bray is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Bray
Statistically, parents drawn to Bray tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Gray, Bodey, Samay, Blue, and Avyay.
GrayBodeySamayBlueAvyayKlayAnvayEmry
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Bray | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 46 | #2765 |
| 2024 | 46 | #2789 |
| 2023 | 35 | #3347 |
| 2022 | 32 | #3533 |
| 2021 | 35 | #3297 |
| 2020 | 34 | #3274 |
| 2019 | 30 | #3636 |
| 2018 | 21 | #4610 |
| 2017 | 20 | #4746 |
| 2016 | 21 | #4624 |
| 2015 | 26 | #3982 |
| 2014 | 40 | #2885 |
| 2013 | 26 | #3864 |
| 2012 | 21 | #4533 |
| 2011 | 18 | #4983 |
| 2010 | 11 | #7087 |
| 2009 | 6 | #10994 |
| 2008 | 18 | #5067 |
| 2007 | 14 | #5901 |
| 2006 | 12 | #6460 |
| 2005 | 12 | #6226 |
| 2004 | 13 | #5813 |
| 2003 | 14 | #5271 |
| 2002 | 9 | #7055 |
| 2001 | 9 | #6935 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Bray?
In official American birth records, the name Bray first appeared in 1970 (over 55 years ago), when 9 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 55 years.
Is Bray a popular boy name?
Bray ranked #2781 among boys in 2025 with 46 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3982.
When was the name Bray most popular?
Bray peaked in 2024, when 46 American boys received the name (ranked #2789 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Bray?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 39,130 newborn American boys was named Bray. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.