Boys' name · since 1917
Elray
Elray has 327 recorded births since 1917 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1940 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #10,123 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 327
- born since 1917
- 1940s
- peak decade
327 boys have been named Elray since 1917, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Social Security Administration records show Elray recorded 327 times among boys since 1917, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1940s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1917 to 1978.
- #10,123 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 327 born since 1917
- 1940s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Elray ranks #10,123 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 327 born since 1917, peaking in the 1940s.
- #10,123 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 327
- born since 1917
- 1940s
- peak decade
Elray's 327 recorded births place it above 77.71% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 2 jurisdictions, led by Louisiana.
Elray's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Elray's full recorded timeline at 1942, 50% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 50% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1919, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1940 peak of 15 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Elray popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1917–1978
- Peak year (1940)
- 15
- Annual births at peak, across 62 years of records
Elray by decade
1940s is the heaviest window (85 births, 26% of the file).
1940s was Elray's strongest decade.
85 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 26% of all-time use.
Elray births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 14
1910s
14 births
- 1920s
1920s
49 births
- 1930s
1930s
77 births
- 1940s
1940s
85 births
- 1950s
1950s
65 births
- 1960s 27
1960s
27 births
- 1970s 10
1970s
10 births
What this shows Peak: 1940s at 85 births (26% of all-time use).
Elray by state
Where Elray concentrates geographically, total births since 1917
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Elray's data
- Elray's decade-level peak was the 1940s (85 total births); usage has since declined to 10 in the 1970s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Louisiana records the most Elrays (32 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Louisiana names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Elray
Nearby Names Like Elray
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Elray
Compare Elray side by side: Elray vs Elroy Elray vs Elric Elray vs Elridge
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Elray: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1940)
Similar record span (~61 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1917–1978 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Elray draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.