Rey

♀ Girl

Pronounced RAY /ˈreɪ/High

Meaning: From Spanish rey, 'a king, royal' (from Latin rex); also a Reina short form and a 'ray of light' echo; here for girls; used for both sexes; routes layeredLow

In 30 seconds: A king/royal; a ray: Rey is Spanish for 'a king' (and a Reina short, a 'ray of light' echo). Crisp, modern, and warm. Used for both sexes (here for girls).

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Origin LowSpanish, Latin

MeaningFrom Spanish rey, 'a king, royal' (from Latin rex); also a Reina short form and a 'ray of light' echo; here for girls; used for both sexes; routes layered

U.S. rank (2025)#5365 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births24 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2020

Total births (all-time)≈ 526

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Rey comes from Spanish rey, 'a king, royal' (from Latin rex) — and also serves as a short form of Reina, 'queen', and echoes 'a ray of light' (routes layered, which we note). Predominantly a boys' name in Spanish, it is widely used for girls too (the heroine Rey of Star Wars), here for girls (slug distinguished; nickname Rey).

It registers thinly for girls. Rare for girls, a-king-or-a-ray at the (likely) root, and crisp.

Did you know? Rey means 'a king, royal' in Spanish (from Latin rex) — and echoes 'a ray of light' and the Spanish Reina, 'queen' — a crisp, modern name, used for both sexes (here for girls; the heroine Rey of Star Wars; the routes are layered, which we note).

Overall data confidence 50%

References — Rey — routes layered

Variations

ReinaReignRaye

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Rey…

Reina— a kin 'queen' Spanish girls' name

Raya— a sound-neighbor Ra- girls' name

Reign— a fellow regal homophone

Jay— a fellow Latin choice

Vy— lands in the same popularity range

Explore names like Rey

By themeuncertain latin unisex spanish

By meaningLight Royal / Noble

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Rey mean?

Rey is Spanish for 'a king, royal', also a Reina short and a 'ray of light' echo; the routes are layered.

How do you pronounce Rey?

It's said RAY /ˈreɪ/ — one syllable.

Is Rey a boy or girl name?

Rey is used for both sexes; this page covers its use as a girl's name.

How popular is Rey?

Rey is rare for girls in the U.S.