Macray
A Scottish surname alternatively spelled Macrae, originating from the Gaelic Mac Rath meaning "son of grace".
Name Census estimates that about 13 living Americans carry the first name Macray. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Macray today is around 16 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Macray births was 2002 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Macray. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Macray. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
13
~ 1 in 26,365,718 Americans
Peak year
2002
8 babies that year
Average age
16
years old
2023 SSA rank
#13,424
Tracked since 2002
Popularity
Macray: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Macray from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 8 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Macray remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Macray by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Macray during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Macray
The name Macray has its origins in the Gaelic language, tracing back to the ancient Celtic cultures that inhabited the British Isles and parts of continental Europe. Its precise etymology is uncertain, but it is believed to derive from the Old Irish words "mac" meaning "son" and "raith" meaning "grace" or "prosperity." The combination of these elements suggests that Macray may have been bestowed upon individuals considered blessed or fortunate.
One of the earliest documented references to the name Macray can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled by monks in the late 15th century. The annals record a Macray O'Donnell, a prominent member of the powerful O'Donnell clan in Ulster, who lived in the late 13th century. This suggests that the name was in use among the Gaelic nobility of Ireland during the Middle Ages.
In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the name Macray was Macray MacGregor, a Scottish Highland warrior and clan chief who was involved in the infamous Battle of Glenfruin in 1603. This clash between the MacGregor and Colquhoun clans was a significant event in the long-running feud between these two powerful Scottish families.
Moving forward to the 18th century, we encounter Macray O'Brien, an Irish soldier and adventurer who served in the French Army during the Napoleonic Wars. Born in 1785, O'Brien gained recognition for his bravery and military exploits, rising through the ranks to become a respected officer in Napoleon's forces.
Another historical figure named Macray was Macray McDonnell, a 19th-century Irish poet and writer who was part of the literary revival movement in Ireland. Born in 1820, McDonnell's works celebrated Irish culture, language, and identity, contributing to the preservation of traditional Gaelic heritage.
Finally, in the early 20th century, we find Macray MacCormack, an American artist and illustrator born in 1889. MacCormack's distinctive style and illustrations graced the covers of numerous popular magazines and books during the Golden Age of American illustration, cementing his reputation as a talented visual artist.
While the name Macray may have fallen into relative obscurity in modern times, its historical roots and associations with notable figures across various fields and eras underscore its enduring cultural significance and the rich tapestry of stories woven into its origins.
People
Macray + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Macray as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Macray: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Macray?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 13 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Macray going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 26,365,718 US residents.
Is Macray a common name?
We classify Macray as "Very Rare". It ranks above 33.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 13 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Macray most popular?
The single biggest year for Macray was 2002, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Macray is about 16 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Macray in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Macray a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Macray in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Macray still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Macray in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Macray can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Macray?
You can see how many people share the name Macray on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.