Discover and Shortlist Your Perfect Baby Names!

Rey as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Rey

♡Add to my Name List

The baby name Rey is a Male name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced /reɪ/ (ray).

Rey is Spanish in Origin.

Gender: Male
Syllables: 1.0
Origin: Spanish
Pronunciation: /reɪ/ (ray)

What is the meaning of the name Rey ?

The baby name Rey is a Male name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced /reɪ/ (ray).

Rey is Spanish in Origin.

Rey is a succinct Spanish given name and surname meaning "king," from Latin rex, regis. As a forename in Hispanic cultures it may stand alone or serve as a short form of Reynaldo or Reymundo (cognate of Raimundo), while in English it can function as a variant spelling of Ray, the diminutive of Raymond ("wise protector"). These strands give Rey a double resonance: regal authority and prudent guardianship.

Documented in Iberia as a byname and occupational-style surname tied to royal service, Rey has appeared in U.S. records since the early 20th century, long favored in Spanish-speaking communities and the Philippines. The name turned conspicuously unisex after 2015 with the Star Wars heroine Rey, boosting its international profile. Variants and related forms include Ray, Rei, Rex, Reign, Leroy, Reynaldo, Reymundo/Raimundo; feminine cognates are Reina, Reine, and Regina. Compact, globally pronounceable, and culturally versatile, Rey carries a timeless, coroneted charm.

Rey has the following similar or variant Names

Rey – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
KR Girls 0 #15 1 572
SV Boys 0 #28 1 352
PH Boys 0 #29 853 11,440
PH 0 #40 57 5,607
PR 0 #49 7 1,497
HN Boys 0 #50 3 749
MO 0 #52 1 2,706
IN 0 #69 3 2,963
AF 0 #76 1 1,883
AO 0 #77 1 2,729
MV Boys 0 #79 1 3,375
BG 0 #82 1 1,799
QA 0 #82 19 7,011
CN 0 #86 1 3,857
AF Girls 0 #93 2 2,402
PR Boys 0 #95 96 2,508
TW 0 #100 4 4,523
ID Girls 0 #101 2 3,319
KW 0 #105 12 5,216
BN Boys 0 #107 27 6,332
BN Girls 0 #109 6 5,459
OM 0 #114 8 6,215
PA 0 #116 15 3,797
EC 0 #118 4 2,502
ID Boys 0 #121 11 4,130
Switzerland Boys 2024 #136 2 1,769
MU 0 #137 1 3,613
PA Boys 0 #145 658 9,305
BW Boys 0 #153 2 4,685
RS Boys 0 #154 1 2,277
AE 0 #160 18 10,220
CR 0 #162 4 5,526
MO Boys 0 #170 54 5,842
MT Boys 0 #176 4 4,064
SA 0 #176 120 10,560
Sweden Girls 2022 #178 2 1,568
Sweden Boys 2021 #179 5 1,578
UY 0 #180 3 2,477
MX Boys 0 #191 3,598 16,355
AR 0 #192 2 2,915
RU 0 #194 1 3,641
DK 0 #205 2 5,198
SI Boys 0 #211 1 3,402
EC Boys 0 #214 26 3,322
AO Girls 0 #216 2 4,575
BG Boys 0 #219 2 3,850
LU Boys 0 #220 1 4,970
PS 0 #224 3 5,692
HU Girls 0 #225 1 3,308
AL Girls 0 #226 2 4,141
AO Boys 0 #227 16 5,568
TW Boys 0 #227 15 7,111
IR 0 #230 2 4,221
BD 0 #240 2 5,992
GH 0 #244 5 5,396
JP Girls 0 #247 5 6,592
NA Boys 0 #249 5 6,830
CO Boys 0 #256 2,028 15,656
HR Boys 0 #256 4 3,997
SG 0 #256 14 11,010
EC Girls 0 #258 1 3,650
MO Girls 0 #261 3 7,056
TW Girls 0 #262 15 8,139
Canada Girls 2023 #268 12 2,824
NG 0 #270 3 5,926
AL Boys 0 #275 24 5,122
IL 0 #282 1 6,291
JM Boys 0 #288 6 6,876
BO Boys 0 #290 463 9,244
KZ Boys 0 #292 5 6,578
CZ Boys 0 #295 10 6,530
JP Boys 0 #295 9 7,909
Canada Boys 2024 #300 7 2,588
QA Girls 0 #300 17 15,378
PE 0 #301 10 6,350
GT 0 #303 12 5,948
MY 0 #313 18 12,352
MX 0 #323 91 8,339
CN Boys 0 #324 8 9,639
BO 0 #326 56 6,868
DK Boys 0 #330 3 7,401
KZ Girls 0 #332 1 5,862
PL Boys 0 #335 6 6,459
GH Girls 0 #336 2 6,973
JO Girls 0 #338 2 7,570
AR Boys 0 #342 132 7,628
MU Boys 0 #347 11 8,477
CZ Girls 0 #351 1 5,378
HK 0 #354 4 8,483
GH Boys 0 #357 5 8,138
SD Girls 0 #357 2 7,678
CN Girls 0 #358 2 8,829
CR Boys 0 #358 134 10,188
BR 0 #360 1 5,969
MU Girls 0 #361 2 8,539
PE Boys 0 #364 984 14,506
UY Boys 0 #364 36 5,922
PH Girls 0 #368 23 13,098
PT Boys 0 #374 8 7,951
OM Girls 0 #381 16 15,987
France Boys 2018 #387 3 2,908
JO Boys 0 #387 3 7,057
YE 0 #393 6 8,639
GT Boys 0 #394 81 7,625
BD Girls 0 #405 2 8,413
EG 0 #409 4 6,387
Finland Boys 0 #417 11 2,041
CL 0 #429 6 6,867
CL Boys 0 #431 266 13,390
Spain 0 #433 20 2,326
ZA 0 #437 11 14,421
CO 0 #439 42 7,768
QA Boys 0 #445 270 18,093
HK Boys 0 #458 70 12,905
SD Boys 0 #463 4 10,523
RU Boys 0 #466 40 12,621
PA Girls 0 #467 15 9,861
PT Girls 0 #469 3 7,952
IR Girls 0 #481 50 8,334
KW Girls 0 #482 34 19,177
RU Girls 0 #482 17 11,913
SA Boys 0 #483 2,293 28,008
BH 0 #491 63 17,937
SG Boys 0 #492 210 17,960
CR Girls 0 #509 24 11,342
LY 0 #520 16 12,703
IQ Girls 0 #524 2 11,303
PS Boys 0 #527 22 10,655
UY Girls 0 #533 4 6,731
AE Girls 0 #535 19 20,968
GT Girls 0 #535 7 7,500
CM Boys 0 #536 15 12,054
IR Boys 0 #541 12 10,162
PS Girls 0 #547 1 10,981
CM Girls 0 #560 1 11,671
SG Girls 0 #561 26 18,916
KW Boys 0 #579 192 18,755
IL Boys 0 #580 28 10,983
AR Girls 0 #585 15 8,289
HK Girls 0 #587 29 16,104
BO Girls 0 #601 11 9,488
BD Boys 0 #602 4 10,045
United States Boys 2024 #604 303 7,044
LB 0 #631 28 13,263
IL Girls 0 #640 6 11,648
IN Girls 0 #648 7 13,121
IQ Boys 0 #656 12 13,071
Spain Boys 0 #661 281 5,610
MY Boys 0 #665 489 25,439
Finland Boys 2026 #672 11 3,552
IT 0 #683 32 4,183
BR Boys 0 #708 44 12,213
AE Boys 0 #749 357 22,615
SY 0 #764 4 11,684
OM Boys 0 #774 108 17,948
MX Girls 0 #805 422 17,781
SA Girls 0 #810 126 25,931
TN 0 #810 20 13,765
NG Girls 0 #821 6 15,093
CL Girls 0 #840 12 14,098
EG Boys 0 #847 40 15,035
NL Boys 0 #888 64 5,873
IT Boys 0 #896 613 10,046
United States Girls 2024 #897 20 8,487
PE Girls 0 #902 42 14,861
Germany Boys 0 #912 41 5,697
NG Boys 0 #925 27 16,906
MY Girls 0 #937 58 24,821
NL Girls 0 #946 10 5,933
IN Boys 0 #951 51 16,750
Spain Girls 0 #964 20 5,561
MA 0 #973 156 20,986
BR Girls 0 #990 3 12,708
EG Girls 0 #1,002 8 14,742
CO Girls 0 #1,014 65 16,140
ZA Boys 0 #1,086 93 25,619
DZ 0 #1,093 84 20,130
ZA Girls 0 #1,118 24 25,928
TR 0 #1,144 68 19,440
IT Girls 0 #1,417 30 9,415

Rey is popular in 84 countries — most recent births per country:

United States
Switzerland
Canada
Sweden
France

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Rey

Rey is predominantly a boy's name.
Rey is a one syllable name, pronounced /reɪ/ (ray).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Ray, Rae, Rei, Rex, Raymond and Reynaldo.
Across languages, Rey has these equivalents: Rex (Latin/English), Rei (Portuguese), Re (Italian), Roi (French), Ray (English).
Yes — Rey ranked #136 in Switzerland in 2024, and appears in official birth registries across 7 countries.
Rey ranks highest in Switzerland (#136 in 2024).
Rey's popularity is rising significantly. It moved from #654 in 2014 to #604 in 2024 in United States.