Laraya
A feminine name of Spanish origin meaning "small, little bird".
Name Census estimates that about 297 living Americans carry the first name Laraya. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Laraya today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Laraya births was 2013 (20 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Laraya. 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
297
~ 1 in 1,154,055 Americans
Peak year
2013
20 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2024 SSA rank
#9,916
Tracked since 1988
Popularity
Laraya: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Laraya from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 128 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Laraya remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Laraya 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 Laraya during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Laraya
The name Laraya is believed to have originated from the ancient Sanskrit language of India, dating back to around the 5th century BCE. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "lara," which means "wave" or "surge," and the suffix "ya," which is often used to form feminine names. The name is thought to have been given to girls born near bodies of water, such as rivers or oceans, with the intention of symbolizing the flowing and ever-changing nature of life.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Laraya can be found in the ancient Hindu text, the Mahabharata, which is an epic narrative that contains various stories and teachings. In this text, Laraya is described as a beautiful and virtuous woman who was revered for her wisdom and compassion.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Laraya. One of the earliest recorded examples is Laraya Devi, a renowned Indian philosopher and scholar who lived in the 9th century CE. She is best known for her contributions to the field of logic and her influential treatise on the nature of language and communication.
Another prominent figure was Laraya Kumari, a 14th-century Indian princess who is celebrated for her courage and leadership during a time of political turmoil. She is said to have led her kingdom's army into battle and secured several victories, earning her the respect and admiration of her people.
In the 16th century, there was Laraya Bhanu, a skilled Indian poet and musician who composed numerous works that explored themes of love, nature, and spirituality. Her writings were widely acclaimed and have been preserved and studied by scholars for centuries.
During the 18th century, Laraya Sundari was a celebrated Indian dancer and choreographer who is credited with reviving and popularizing the classical dance form of Kathak. Her performances were renowned for their grace, precision, and emotional depth, and she is considered one of the most influential figures in the history of Indian dance.
In more recent times, Laraya Ghosh was a prominent Indian social activist and educator who dedicated her life to promoting literacy and women's empowerment. Born in 1890, she established numerous schools and educational programs throughout India, and her efforts have had a lasting impact on the country's educational landscape.
People
Laraya + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Laraya as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Laraya: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Laraya?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 297 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Laraya 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 1,154,055 US residents.
Is Laraya a common name?
We classify Laraya as "Very Rare". It ranks above 79.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 301 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Laraya most popular?
The single biggest year for Laraya was 2013, when 20 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Laraya is about 15 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Laraya a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Laraya 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.
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.