How to say it
TREY
treɪ
Masculine
Trey
Three
What it means
Trey means 'three,' from the old card and dice term for a three, and is often used for a boy who is the third to bear a family name.
Trey comes from the English word trey, the card and dice term for a three, which traces through Anglo-Norman trei and Old French treis back to Latin tres, 'three.' As a name it caught on in the United States as a nickname for a third-born son or a boy who is the third in his line to carry the same name, often standing in for 'the third.' It works cleanly as a short, one-syllable given name. Trey eased down slightly in the most recent US rankings while remaining in the boys' top 1000.
How to spell Trey
The standard spelling is Trey. Common variants include Tre, Trae, but Trey is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #189 in 1999, currently #890 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Often given to a third-generation namesake, standing in for 'the third.'
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Trey Parker American co-creator of the animated series South Park
- Trey Songz American R&B singer and songwriter
Spelling variants
- Tre
- Trae
Names with the same feeling
See Trey from another angle
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Trey mean?
- Trey means 'three,' from the old card and dice term for a three, and is often used for a boy who is the third to bear a family name.
- What does Trey mean in English?
- In English, Trey means "Three." Trey comes from the English word trey, the card and dice term for a three, which traces through Anglo-Norman trei and Old French treis back to Latin tres, 'three.' As a name it caught on in the United States as a nickname for a third-born son or a boy who is the third in his line to carry the same name, often standing in for 'the third.' It works cleanly as a short, one-syllable given name. Trey eased down slightly in the most recent US rankings while remaining in the boys' top 1000.
- How do you pronounce Trey?
- Trey is pronounced treɪ. Say it as TREY, with the stress on the "trey" syllable.
- How do you spell Trey?
- The standard spelling is Trey. Common spelling variants include Tre, Trae.
- Is Trey a boy or girl name?
- Trey is traditionally a masculine name.
- How popular is the name Trey?
- Trey ranked #890 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.