unisex name · in the US
Gray
GRAY (English)
- Gender Unisex (US)
- Syllables 1
- Letters 4
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 6,674
Gray is a unisex name in the United States, with 1 syllable. It is given to both girls and boys — about 11% of recorded births with this name are girls. In 2025 it was given to 150 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
- Peaked in 2021, when 211 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 22,102 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1885.
- 1 syllable, with the stress on syllable 1.
Gray Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 17 |
| 1890s | 15 |
| 1900s | 38 |
| 1910s | 158 |
| 1920s | 200 |
| 1930s | 163 |
| 1940s | 234 |
| 1950s | 344 |
| 1960s | 306 |
| 1970s | 203 |
| 1980s | 263 |
| 1990s | 445 |
| 2000s | 697 |
| 2010s | 1,630 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 1,129 |
How Popular Is Gray?
In 2025, Gray was given to 150 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Gray Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Gray
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Gray Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Gray over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Boys' or Girls' Name?
Gray is used differently depending on where you are. Each figure is the share of babies given the name who were girls, over the last ten years of that country's records.
- United States Both 19% girls · 1,875 babies
- England & Wales Boys' 3% girls · 333 babies
- Canada Both 27% girls · 209 babies
How to Say Gray
- English GRAY
Sibling Names for Gray
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Gray — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Gray
How popular is the name Gray?
In 2025, Gray was given to 150 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Is Gray a girl's or a boy's name?
Gray is used for both girls and boys. About 11% of recorded births with this name are girls.
How many syllables are in Gray?
Gray has 1 syllable.
When was Gray most popular?
Gray peaked in 2021, when 211 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
Is Gray a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Gray currently ranks #1,419 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.