UK boy's name
Drae
A masculine name with Scandinavian roots meaning "strong".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2021. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Drae is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Drae popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2021 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3990, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2013, with 5 births.
This profile covers 19 England and Wales registrations across 5 recorded years from 2001 to 2021. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 80% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 19 living people in the UK are called Drae. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2022 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Drae ranked #3990 for boys in England and Wales in 2021, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2013, when 5 boys were registered as Drae.
- • About 19 living people in the UK are estimated to have Drae as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3990
2021
Births in 2021
4
Latest year
Peak year
2013
5 births
Estimated living
19
2026
Meaning
What does Drae mean?
The name Drae is a modern variant of the ancient Germanic name Draco, which means "dragon" or "serpent." It has its roots in the Proto-Indo-European word "derk," meaning "to see clearly" or "to look intently." The name Draco was popular among the ancient Romans and Greeks, who often associated it with the constellation Draco, the dragon.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Draco comes from the 7th century BC, when it was the name of an Athenian lawmaker known for his harsh and draconian laws. The name also appears in Greek mythology, where Draco was a watchman who was turned into a dragon by the goddess Athena.
In the Middle Ages, the name Draco was commonly used in various European countries, particularly in England and France. One notable bearer of the name was Draco Normannicus, a 12th-century English astronomer and mathematician.
During the Renaissance, the name Draco gained popularity among scholars and intellectuals who were fascinated by classical antiquity. One of the most famous bearers of the name was Tycho Brahe (1546-1601), a Danish astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of celestial bodies.
As the name evolved over time, it took on various spellings and forms, including Drake, Dracus, and eventually, Drae. One notable bearer of the name Drae was Drae Axton (1907-1987), an American film director and screenwriter who worked in Hollywood during the Golden Age of cinema.
Other notable people named Drae include Drae Bryant (born 1984), an American professional basketball player; Drae Williamson (born 1980), an American professional football player; and Drae Zhaveri (born 1986), an Indian-American entrepreneur and investor.
While the name Drae is not as common as some other names, it has a rich history rooted in ancient mythology and astronomy, and it continues to be used as a unique and distinctive name in various parts of the world.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Drae over time
The chart below shows babies named Drae registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2001 to 2021. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Drae, the clearest high point is 2013. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2021, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Drae by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Drae was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #3990 | 4 | 1 |
| 2010s | #4060 | 8 | 2 |
| 2000s | #2906 | 7 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Drae
- Daniel 120,900
- Dylan 60,836
- David 37,852
- Dominic 20,480
- Declan 11,657
- Dexter 11,627
- Danny 8,434
- Dean 5,329
- Dillon 4,113
- Douglas 3,773
- Dominik 3,494
- Damian 3,486
FAQ
Drae: questions and answers
How popular is the name Drae in the UK right now?
In 2021, Drae was ranked #3990 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Drae most popular?
The peak year on record was 2013, with 5 babies registered as Drae in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Drae?
A masculine name with Scandinavian roots meaning "strong".
How many people are called Drae in the UK?
A total of 19 babies have been registered as Drae across the 5 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.