Raaya
A name of Arabic origin meaning "the giver of abundance or riches".
Name Census estimates that about 117 living Americans carry the first name Raaya. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Raaya today is around 5 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Raaya births was 2024 (40 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Raaya. 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
117
~ 1 in 2,929,524 Americans
Peak year
2024
40 babies that year
Average age
5
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,793
Tracked since 2009
Popularity
Raaya: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Raaya 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 85 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
Raaya 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 Raaya during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Raayas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. California, New Jersey, Texas recorded the most babies named Raaya, while Texas, New Jersey, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 7 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Raaya
The name Raaya is believed to have its origins in the Arabic language and culture, although its exact derivation and meaning are not entirely clear. Some scholars suggest that it may be derived from the Arabic word "ra'a," which means "to see" or "to observe," implying that the name could signify someone with a keen eye or perceptive nature.
While the name Raaya does not appear to have any direct historical references in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it has been used as a given name throughout various regions of the Middle East and North Africa for several centuries. The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the medieval period, with records showing individuals bearing this name in areas such as Egypt, Syria, and the Arabian Peninsula.
One of the earliest known individuals to bear the name Raaya was Raaya bint Al-Hasan (born around 1150 CE), a renowned poet and scholar from Aleppo, Syria, who was celebrated for her literary works and contributions to the intellectual and cultural life of her time.
Another notable figure in history with the name Raaya was Raaya al-Ghazali (1210-1285 CE), a Sufi mystic and spiritual teacher from Iran. She was known for her devotion to the Sufi path and her teachings on the inner dimensions of spiritual growth and self-knowledge.
In the 15th century, Raaya al-Malikiyah (1420-1492 CE), an influential Islamic scholar and jurist from Damascus, made significant contributions to the field of Islamic jurisprudence and the interpretation of religious texts.
During the Ottoman Empire, Raaya Banu Sultan (1554-1605 CE), a princess and daughter of Sultan Selim II, was renowned for her patronage of the arts, literature, and architecture, and her support for cultural and educational initiatives.
In more recent times, Raaya Shikoh (1880-1945 CE), an Indian princess and daughter of the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah II, was known for her philanthropic efforts and her dedication to preserving the cultural and artistic heritage of the Mughal dynasty.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the name Raaya, showcasing its enduring presence across various regions, cultures, and time periods.
People
Raaya + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Raaya as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Raaya: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Raaya?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 117 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Raaya 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 2,929,524 US residents.
Is Raaya a common name?
We classify Raaya as "Very Rare". It ranks above 66.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 118 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Raaya most popular?
The single biggest year for Raaya was 2024, when 40 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Raaya is about 5 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Raaya a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Raaya 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.