Boy name · Scottish place name
Murray
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: from MorayMurray is a boy's name that is of Scottish place name origin: from Moray. It is used in English and Scottish.
- Meaning
- From Moray
- Origin
- Scottish place name
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #2633 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Murray
As a boy's name, Murray is of Scottish place name origin: from Moray. It is used in English and Scottish.
In Scottish Gaelic, say MUR-ee. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Murray is also a surname: the 139th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 179,133 people. See the most common last names.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Murray on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Murray on 4 lists.
“A Scottish surname for a sturdy, easygoing buck”
From Bunny names, boy bunny names
“Ó Muireadhaigh, descendant of Muireadhach. Also a Scottish name”
From Irish last names, most common Irish last names
“From Moray, the region on the Moray Firth; a clan surname. Say MUR-ee.”
From Scottish boy names, popular Scottish boy names
“From Moray, the northern province; chiefs are Dukes of Atholl”
From Scottish last names, most common Scottish surnames
How popular is Murray?
- US rank in 2025
- #2,633
- 50 babies, 29 per million boys
- Best rank
- #206 in 1922
- 628 babies that year
- Babies since 1880
- At least 21,908
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 185 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 261 per million |
| 1900s | 385 per million |
| 1910s | 489 per million |
| 1920s | 503 per million |
| 1930s | 275 per million |
| 1940s | 171 per million |
| 1950s | 133 per million |
| 1960s | 85 per million |
| 1970s | 41 per million |
| 1980s | 23 per million |
| 1990s | 16 per million |
| 2000s | 12 per million |
| 2010s | 21 per million |
| 2020s | 28 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,819 | #2,475 | #2,781 | #2,543 | #2,683 | #3,007 | #2,781 | #2,286 | #2,735 | #2,633 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of Murray
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- MorayFrom Moray (Scottish place name, boy)
Names spelled like Murray
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- MurphySea warrior (Irish Gaelic, unisex)
- MuradWish or desire (Arabic, boy)
- MuratWish, desire (Arabic, boy)
Middle names for Murray
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Scottish place name
- ForbesFrom Forbes in Aberdeenshire (Scottish place name, boy)
- GordonSpacious fort (Scottish place name, boy)
- KelvinFrom the River Kelvin (Scottish place name, boy)
- LennoxFrom the Lennox district (Scottish place name, unisex)
- ArranFrom the Isle of Arran (Scottish place name, boy)
- AtholFrom Atholl (Scottish place name, boy)
- FyfeFrom Fife (Scottish place name, boy)
- IslayFrom the island of Islay (Scottish place name, unisex)
- LorneFrom Lorn in Argyll (Scottish place name, boy)
Murray: common questions
What does the name Murray mean?
Murray is of Scottish place name origin: from Moray.
Is Murray a boy or girl name?
Murray is mainly a boy's name. In 2025, 8 girls and 50 boys in the US were named Murray, according to Social Security Administration data.
Where does the name Murray come from?
Murray is of Scottish place name origin: from Moray. Today it is used in English and Scottish.
How popular is the name Murray?
Murray ranked #2,633 in the US in 2025, with 50 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Murray?
Forms of Murray with the same meaning and origin include Moray (Scottish).
What middle names go with Murray?
Middle names that flow well with Murray include Alton, Ansel, Ethan, Ezra and Finn. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.