Ray vs Richard

Baby Name Comparison — 2026

Ray

Girl #4,924 Most Popular 1 Syllable

"beam of light"

Origin: Old French

English American French

✓ All Clear

Boy #232 Most Popular 2 Syllables

"strong ruler, powerful leader"

Origin: Germanic

English French German Spanish Italian

12 High Risk

{:type=>:nickname, :severity=>:medium, :message=>"'Richard' can be twisted to 'bitch'"}

Ray Rank #4,924

Richard Rank #232

Richard is more popular, ranked #232 vs #4924 for Ray.

Is Ray or Richard more popular?

Richard is more popular, ranked #232 compared to Ray at #4924 in the United States.

What do Ray and Richard mean?

Ray means "beam of light" (Old French origin). Richard means "strong ruler, powerful leader" (Germanic origin).

Are Ray and Richard boy or girl names?

Ray is primarily a girl name. Richard is primarily a boy name.