Save Gender Feminine & Masculine Usage English (Rare), Popular Culture Pronounced Pron. RAY(English, Popular Culture) /ˈɹeɪ/(English) [key·simplify] Meaning & History Variant of either Ray or Rae.It was also used as an Anglicized variant of Rei in English translations of the 'Sailor Moon' series. A notable male bearer is an American film and television actor: Raye Birk (born May 27, 1943, Flint, Michigan).