Sea settlement, through the older Celtic place-name roots.
The source gives sea and settlement elements for the Moray place name underlying this surname. The licensed lord of the sea and lives by the sea phrases are not treated as literal equivalents.
Origin
Scottish place-name surname tradition, from Moray.
The reviewed entry traces the surname through the Scottish place name Moray and identifies the given name as a surname transfer.
English pronunciation
/ˈmɝ.i/
Documented US reading with the hurry–furry merger. Other English accents pronounce the first vowel differently.
Recorded English reading, as published. Accents and preferred pronunciations can differ.
Published name usage
Counts apply only to the exact spelling, place, year and recorded usage shown. Places are separate; these figures are never added into a worldwide total. Missing or suppressed records never mean zero.
Latest published record available for this spelling in each place and recorded usage
Place
Year
Recorded usage
Published births
Rank
Notes
Canada
2025
Boys
16 · preliminary
1443
2025 figures are preliminary. Quebec counts below five are randomly imputed by the publisher before national aggregation. Accents are removed in the source; this profile was matched only where the catalog spelling was unambiguous. Unpublished values are unknown, not zero. Rank basis: source published.
France
1995
Boys
5 (rounded to 5)
3493
Counts are rounded to the nearest multiple of five. Ranks use unrounded publisher counts with randomly ordered ties; equally rounded counts can have different ranks. National coverage excludes Mayotte before 2012. Missing years are unavailable, not zero. Automated direction labels are withheld for this rounded-count series. Rank basis: source published.
England & Wales
2025
Boys
12
2014
Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: source published.
Northern Ireland
2025
Boys
3
395
Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: source published.
Scotland
2025
Boys
60
88
Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: source published.
Ireland
2025
Boys
3
829
Names below three occurrences are unpublished. Accent recording changed in 2018; comparisons across that boundary may not describe the same spelling coverage. Counts refer to registrations in the year. Missing years are unavailable, not zero. Rank basis: source published.
United States
2025
Girls
8
10917
Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: calculated from published counts.
United States
2025
Boys
50
2604
Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: calculated from published counts.
Canada, Ireland and France coverage includes confidently matched existing profiles only; unmatched spellings are awaiting review. French counts are rounded to five.
Sources & notes
Open an entry for its source, credit, licence and full qualifications. Different name traditions remain separate.
Meaning: Sea settlement, through the older Celtic place-name roots.
Checked against cited source
The source gives sea and settlement elements for the Moray place name underlying this surname. The licensed lord of the sea and lives by the sea phrases are not treated as literal equivalents.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Origin: Scottish place-name surname tradition, from Moray.
Checked against cited source
The reviewed entry traces the surname through the Scottish place name Moray and identifies the given name as a surname transfer.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
English pronunciation: /ˈmɝ.i/
Checked against cited source
Documented US reading with the hurry–furry merger. Other English accents pronounce the first vowel differently.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0147-01, 1991–2025, released 23 September 2026.
Credit: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0147-01, 1991–2025, released 23 September 2026.
License: Statistics Canada Open Licence
Adaptation: Adapted from Statistics Canada, First names at birth by sex at birth, selected indicators, Table 17-10-0147-01, reference years 1991–2025. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Central Statistics Office, Ireland, VSA50 and VSA60, updated 27 February 2026.
Credit: Central Statistics Office, Ireland, VSA50 and VSA60, updated 27 February 2026.
License: CC BY 4.0
Adaptation: Adapted by Rare Baby Names: joined the published count and rank indicators and matched unambiguous existing spellings. Source values retained.
Source : Insee, Fichier des prénoms, updated 16 July 2026.
Credit: Source : Insee, Fichier des prénoms, updated 16 July 2026.
License: Open Licence 2.0 (Etalab)
Adaptation: Adapted by Rare Baby Names: column names and sex codes mapped and unique case-only spellings matched to existing profiles. Published rounded counts and ranks retained.