Total births
327
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.
- 327
- total births
- 1917–1978
- years on record
- 1940s
- peak decade
- 26%
- born in that 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.
- 327 total births
- 1917–1978 years on record
- 1940s peak decade
- 26% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
327 boys have been named Elray since 1917, peaking in the 1940s, last recorded in 1978.
- 327
- total births
- 1917–1978
- years on record
- 1940s
- peak decade
- 26%
- born in that decade
1940s
Peak decade
26% of everyone ever named Elray was born in this single decade.
1940
Single peak year
15 babies were named Elray in 1940 - its busiest year on record.
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 at a glance
Last recorded 1978Peak year
1940
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1917
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
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
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
How popular is the name Elray? ▼
Elray has been given to 327 babies in the U.S. since 1917, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 1978. 15 babies were born in 1940, its single highest year.
When was Elray most popular? ▼
Elray was most popular in the 1940s decade with 85 total births. The single peak year was 1940.
Where is Elray most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Elray are Louisiana (32 births), Texas (5 births).
How long has the name Elray been used? ▼
Records for Elray go back to 1917, giving 62 years of history through 1978.
What names are similar to Elray? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Elroy, Elric, Elridge, Elroi, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
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
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare 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
Elroy Boy
#4203 7,476 births
Elric Boy
#4730 581 births
Elridge Boy
445 births
Elroi Boy
#3887 130 births
Elra Boy
51 births
Compare Elray side by side: Elray vs Elroy Elray vs Elric Elray vs Elridge
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 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).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Elray: Baby Name Since 1917 - 327 Births, Peak 1940." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/elray. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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 June 2026.