Yeray
A masculine name of Basque origin meaning "sunny place".
Name Census estimates that about 434 living Americans carry the first name Yeray. It is a predominantly male name (98.9% of registrations). The average person named Yeray today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Yeray births was 2013 (46 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Yeray. 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.
People living today
434
~ 1 in 789,757 Americans
Peak year
2013
46 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,683
Tracked since 2007
Gender
Gender distribution for Yeray
Yeray leans heavily male at 98.9% of total registrations, but 5 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Yeray as a male name
- Ranked #4,683 in 2024
- 22 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2013 (46 births)
Yeray as a female name
- Ranked #20,388 in 2008
- 5 female births in 2008
- Peak: 2008 (5 births)
Popularity
Yeray: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Yeray from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 260 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Yeray remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Yeray 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 Yeray during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Yerays live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. California, Texas, Florida recorded the most babies named Yeray, while North Carolina, Florida, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 22 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Yeray
The given name Yeray originates from the Basque language, spoken primarily in the Basque Country, a region straddling the western Pyrenees in northern Spain and southwestern France. The name is derived from the Basque words "iri" meaning "town" and "eder" meaning "beautiful," suggesting a possible meaning of "beautiful town."
The earliest recorded instances of the name Yeray can be traced back to the Middle Ages in the Basque region. It is believed to have been used as a given name among the Basque people during this period, though its exact origins and initial popularization remain uncertain.
In terms of historical references, the name Yeray does not appear to be explicitly mentioned in ancient texts, religious scriptures, or notable historical records. However, its Basque roots and connection to the Basque language and culture are well-established.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Yeray was Yeray López de Gamboa, a Basque military leader who lived in the late 15th century and fought against the Crown of Castile during the War of the Basque Provinces.
Another notable figure was Yeray Álava, a 16th-century Basque explorer and navigator who accompanied Spanish conquistadors on expeditions to the Americas, including the conquest of Mexico.
In the 19th century, Yeray Idiakez was a prominent Basque writer and philosopher who contributed significantly to the development of Basque literature and cultural identity.
More recently, Yeray Álvarez, born in 1995, is a Spanish professional footballer who currently plays as a defender for Valencia CF in La Liga, the top division of Spanish football.
Yeray Gutiérrez, born in 1987, is a Spanish actor known for his roles in television series such as "Velvet" and "El Accidente."
While the name Yeray remains relatively uncommon outside the Basque region, its rich cultural heritage and historical connections make it a unique and meaningful choice for those with Basque roots or an appreciation for the language and traditions of the Basque people.
People
Yeray + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Yeray as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with Y
Other first names starting with Y with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Yeray: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Yeray?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 434 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Yeray 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 789,757 US residents.
Is Yeray a common name?
We classify Yeray as "Very Rare". It ranks above 83.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 437 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Yeray most popular?
The single biggest year for Yeray was 2013, when 46 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Yeray is about 10 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Yeray a male name?
Yes, 98.9% of people registered as Yeray 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.
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.