ריי
Ray means “my friend”
Ray means “ray (English), or Hebrew Rei: my friend”.
Ray is a name for girls and boys, of international origin.
2,469 Jewish Israelis born since 1949 carry the name Ray.
- 359 of them are women and girls, and 2,110 are men and boys.
- 388 of them were born in 2021, more than in any other year.
- Carriers born 2020 to 2024: 1,393, against 31 born 2010 to 2014, so its share of births is growing.
Central Bureau of Statistics register, April 2025. People who changed their name are counted under the one they carry now, and a year with fewer than five shows as zero.
This is how Ray is counted in each population group.
These are the people born 1949 to 2024 who carry the spelling ריי today, in each population group and sex the register lists for it. The rank counts the names given in 2024, and 1 is the most given. A count under 5 is not published, so the table says “fewer than 5”, and 0 means nobody.
| Population group | Carriers | Born in 2024 | Rank in 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jewish girls | 359 | 11 | 419 of 678 |
| Jewish boys | 2,110 | 143 | 115 of 541 |
| Christian Arab boys | 12 | 0 | – |
| Druze boys | 9 | fewer than 5 | – |
In 2024, Ray ranked 115 of 541 among the names given to Jewish boys.
Source: the Central Bureau of Statistics table of current first names of people born 1949 to 2024, by sex and population group (release 391/2025 of 8 December 2025, read on 2 November 2026). Groups and sexes with no row for this spelling are left out.
These six names are close to Ray in theme or origin.
These are the questions people ask about the name Ray.
What does the name Ray mean?
Ray means “ray (English), or Hebrew Rei: my friend”. Ray is a name for girls and boys, of international origin.
Is Ray a boy's name or a girl's name?
Ray is used for both girls and boys. Of the 2,469 Jewish Israelis born since 1949 who carry it, 359 are women and girls and 2,110 are men and boys.
How do you write Ray in Hebrew?
Ray is written ריי in Hebrew.
How many people in Israel are named Ray?
2,469 Jewish Israelis born 1949 to 2024 carry Ray today. The most were born in 2021. In 2024, Ray ranked 115 of 541 among the names given to Jewish boys.
Counts are Jewish Israelis born 1949 to 2024 who carry the name today, from the Central Bureau of Statistics register of April 2025. Meanings follow the standard etymologies of Hebrew name references, and where nobody can be sure the page says so.