Hiraya
A Filipino name of Sanskrit origin meaning "inner self" or "heart".
Name Census estimates that about 82 living Americans carry the first name Hiraya. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Hiraya today is around 3 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Hiraya births was 2023 (31 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Hiraya. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Hiraya with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Hiraya. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
82
~ 1 in 4,179,931 Americans
Peak year
2023
31 babies that year
Average age
3
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,845
Tracked since 2021
Popularity
Hiraya: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Hiraya 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 Hiraya during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 0 | 82 | 82 |
Geography
Where Hirayas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Hiraya
The name Hiraya is believed to have originated from the Philippines, specifically from the Tagalog language spoken in the region. It is a relatively modern name, with its roots traced back to the 20th century.
Hiraya is derived from the Tagalog word "hiray," which means "hope" or "aspiration." The name is often associated with the concept of having a positive outlook on life and striving for one's dreams and ambitions.
While there are no known ancient texts or religious scriptures that directly mention the name Hiraya, its connection to the Tagalog language and the concept of hope resonates with the cultural values and beliefs of the Filipino people.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hiraya can be found in the literary works of Filipino authors from the mid-20th century. However, it did not gain widespread popularity until more recent decades.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Hiraya:
1. Hiraya Alonte (born 1992) - A Filipino actress and model known for her roles in various television shows and movies.
2. Hiraya Miakinka (born 1985) - A Japanese-Filipino fashion designer and entrepreneur based in Tokyo, Japan.
3. Hiraya Manalo (born 1978) - A Filipino painter and visual artist, renowned for her vibrant and expressive works depicting Philippine culture and landscapes.
4. Hiraya Garcia (born 1990) - A Filipino environmental activist and advocate for sustainable living, recognized for her efforts in promoting eco-friendly initiatives and raising awareness about climate change.
5. Hiraya Villanueva (born 1975) - A Filipino writer and poet, whose works often explore themes of identity, culture, and the human experience, gaining critical acclaim within literary circles.
While the name Hiraya may not have a long and extensive historical record, its meaning and symbolism resonate with the hopes and aspirations of the Filipino people, making it a meaningful and culturally significant name in the modern era.
People
Hiraya + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Hiraya as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with H
Other first names starting with H with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Hiraya: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Hiraya?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 82 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Hiraya 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 4,179,931 US residents.
Is Hiraya a common name?
We classify Hiraya as "Very Rare". It ranks above 61.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 82 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Hiraya most popular?
The single biggest year for Hiraya was 2023, when 31 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Hiraya is about 3 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 Hiraya in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Hiraya a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Hiraya 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 Hiraya still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Hiraya 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 Hiraya 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 many people are called Hiraya?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.