Raei
A name of uncertain origin potentially meaning "wise" or "radiant".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Raei. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Raei today is around 6 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Raei births was 2020 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Raei. 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 Raei with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Raei. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2020
5 babies that year
Average age
6
years old
2020 SSA rank
#13,579
Tracked since 2020
Popularity
Raei: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Raei 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 Raei 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 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Raei
The name Raei is believed to have its origins in ancient Mesopotamia, the cradle of civilization located in modern-day Iraq. It is derived from the Akkadian language, one of the earliest recorded Semitic languages, which flourished around 2500 BCE. The name is thought to be a variation of the word "ra'u," meaning "shepherd" or "one who watches over."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Raei can be found in cuneiform inscriptions from the ancient city of Ur, dating back to the 3rd millennium BCE. These inscriptions suggest that the name was associated with individuals who held positions of authority or were responsible for overseeing certain tasks or groups of people.
In ancient Sumerian literature, there are references to a figure named Raei, who was revered as a wise and just ruler. This figure is believed to have lived around the 22nd century BCE and is mentioned in several clay tablet records as having implemented important agricultural reforms and promoting the advancement of knowledge and learning.
During the Neo-Babylonian period, around the 6th century BCE, a high-ranking official named Raei is mentioned in various administrative documents. This individual is thought to have held a prominent position within the court of King Nebuchadnezzar II, one of the most influential rulers of the Babylonian Empire.
In ancient Greek records, a philosopher named Raei is mentioned as having lived in the city of Miletus around the 5th century BCE. He is credited with contributing to the development of early scientific thought and is believed to have been a student of the renowned philosopher Thales.
Another notable figure with the name Raei was a Persian scholar and poet who lived during the 10th century CE. His works, which focused on ethics, philosophy, and mysticism, were highly influential in the Islamic world and were widely studied and referenced by subsequent scholars.
These are just a few examples of historical figures who bore the name Raei, highlighting its long and diverse heritage across various cultures and time periods.
People
Raei + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Raei 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
Raei: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Raei?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Raei 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Raei a common name?
We classify Raei as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Raei most popular?
The single biggest year for Raei was 2020, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Raei is about 6 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 Raei in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Raei a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Raei in the SSA data are male. 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 Raei still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Raei 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 Raei 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 named Raei?
Find out how many people share the name Raei on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.