Ramsey

Tough, cool, and rugged, Ramsey is a Scottish and English surname that has plenty of potential as a given name. Similar in style to Murray, Murphy, and Rafferty, it was chosen for around 90 boys and 70 girls in the US in a recent year.

Also written as Ramsay, the surname comes from an Old English place name, meaning "garlic island", likely owing to the growth of wild garlic in the area. Today, it is perhaps best associated with chef Gordan Ramsey and actor Bella Ramsey, though other bearers include physicist Norman Foster Ramsey, radio personality Dave Ramsey, and footballer Aaron Ramsey, among many more.

Villainous Ramsay Bolton in the series A Song of Ice and Fire and its adaptation Game of Thrones may however have tainted the name for some, and it should be noted that the Ramsay spelling is rarely used.

Pronounced RAM-zee.

As of October 2026, Ramsey ranked #1970 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #849 in 1980.