Arayla
A feminine name of uncertain origin and meaning but possibly derived from Aramaic.
Name Census estimates that about 148 living Americans carry the first name Arayla. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Arayla today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Arayla births was 2023 (34 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Arayla. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
148
~ 1 in 2,315,908 Americans
Peak year
2023
34 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,022
Tracked since 2006
Popularity
Arayla: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Arayla from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 71 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Arayla by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Arayla during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Araylas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Arayla
The name Arayla is believed to have its origins in the ancient Sumerian civilization, which flourished in the region of Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) between the 4th and 3rd millennia BCE. It is thought to be derived from the Sumerian words "ara," meaning "to shine" or "to radiate," and "ila," meaning "exalted" or "divine." Thus, the name Arayla could be interpreted as "the radiant one" or "the divine light."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Arayla can be found in a cuneiform tablet dating back to the 21st century BCE, which contains a list of names used by the Sumerian people. This suggests that the name has been in use for over four thousand years.
In ancient Sumerian mythology, there is a reference to a goddess named Arayla, who was associated with the sun and was believed to bring warmth and light to the world. This goddess was often depicted in Sumerian art and literature as a radiant figure surrounded by rays of light.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Arayla. One of the earliest was Arayla of Kish, a princess who lived in the 24th century BCE and was renowned for her beauty and wisdom. Another notable figure was Arayla the Scribe, a renowned scholar and historian who lived in the 18th century BCE and authored several important works on Sumerian culture and religion.
In the 9th century CE, there was an Arab poet and philosopher named Arayla al-Basri, who was celebrated for her profound insights and elegant verse. Her works explored themes of love, spirituality, and the human condition, and she was considered a leading intellectual figure of her time.
During the Renaissance period, there was an Italian artist named Arayla Fiorentina (1458-1529), who was renowned for her stunning frescoes and paintings depicting religious and mythological scenes. Her works adorned many churches and palaces throughout Italy and were highly praised for their technical mastery and emotional depth.
In more recent times, one of the most famous individuals named Arayla was Arayla Everett (1909-1992), an American civil rights activist and writer. She was a prominent figure in the struggle for racial equality and authored several influential books and essays on the experiences of African Americans in the United States.
Overall, the name Arayla has a rich and ancient history, spanning various cultures and time periods. Its connection to concepts of light, divinity, and radiance has made it a name of enduring beauty and significance throughout the ages.
People
Arayla + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Arayla as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with A
Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Arayla: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Arayla?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 148 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Arayla going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 2,315,908 US residents.
Is Arayla a common name?
We classify Arayla as "Very Rare". It ranks above 70.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 149 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Arayla most popular?
The single biggest year for Arayla was 2023, when 34 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Arayla is about 9 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Arayla in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Arayla a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Arayla in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Arayla still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Arayla in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Arayla can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Arayla?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.