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Home › Baby Names Directory › Elray

Elray

♂ Boy

Pronounced EL-ray /ˈɛl.reɪ/Medium

Meaning: Elray reads as an American blend of the El- opening with the name Ray, and it closely echoes Elroy and Leroy, which come from French 'le roi', 'the king'. It carries the regal ring of those cousins while sounding fresh and homemade.Low

In 30 seconds: Elray is a boy's name blending El- and Ray, close to Elroy and Leroy ('the king'). It appears in US records from 1917, peaking around 1940 (said EL-ray).
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Origin LowAmerican, French
MeaningElray reads as an American blend of the El- opening with the name Ray, and it closely echoes Elroy and Leroy, which come from French 'le roi', 'the king'. It carries the regal ring of those cousins while sounding fresh and homemade.
U.S. rank (1978)#6099 ↘ Falling
1978 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1940
Total births (all-time)≈ 327

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 194019171978

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Elray is an early-1900s American coinage, joining the El- prefix to Ray and echoing Elroy and Leroy, both from the French for 'the king'. It has the plainspoken, invented feel typical of its era's boys' names.

It was never common, given to only about fifteen boys a year at its 1940 peak, and it faded from records by the late 1970s. A boy named Elray then would be a grandfather today, and the name stays a rural period piece.

Did you know? Elray sits in a family of El- and Le- boys' names, like Elroy, Elmer and Leroy, that were popular in rural early-twentieth-century America.
Overall data confidence 30%
References - Elray — Blend of El- and Ray, echoing Elroy/Leroy (French 'the king'); rare early-1900s US boy usage

Variations

ElroyLeroyDelray

Nicknames

ElRay

Famous Bearers

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If you like Elray…

Elroy— the closely related name it echoes
Leroy— a fellow 'the king' name
Delroy— a like El-/Del- boy's name
Elvin— a same-era El- boy's name

Explore names like Elray

By themerarevintageamericanblend

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Elray mean?

It is most likely a blend of El- and Ray, echoing Elroy and Leroy, which come from French 'le roi', 'the king'.

How do you pronounce Elray?

It is said EL-ray /ˈɛl.reɪ/ - two syllables.

Is Elray a boy or girl name?

Elray is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Elray?

It was always rare in the United States, given to only about fifteen boys a year even at its peak around nineteen-forty.

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