Rael
A feminine name of Hebrew origin meaning "ewe" or "female sheep".
Name Census estimates that about 586 living Americans carry the first name Rael. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 68.2% of registrations being male. The average person named Rael today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rael births was 2024 (72 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rael. 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
586
~ 1 in 584,905 Americans
Peak year
2024
72 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,326
Tracked since 1971
Gender
Gender distribution for Rael
Rael is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 594 total registrations, 405 (68.2%) were male and 189 (31.8%) were female.
Rael as a male name
- Ranked #2,326 in 2024
- 61 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (61 births)
Rael as a female name
- Ranked #9,390 in 2024
- 11 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2013 (11 births)
Popularity
Rael: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rael from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 205 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
Rael 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 Rael during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Raels live
The SSA's state-level files cover 6 states and territories. Texas, California, Florida recorded the most babies named Rael, while New Jersey, Georgia, New York recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 13 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Rael
The name Rael is believed to have its origins in the Hebrew language, deriving from the word "ra'el," which means "friend of God." This name is deeply rooted in the Judaic tradition and has been in use for centuries.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rael can be found in the Old Testament of the Bible, where it is mentioned as the name of a son of Esau, a significant figure in the book of Genesis. This biblical reference suggests that the name was already in use during ancient times, likely carrying spiritual or religious connotations.
Throughout history, the name Rael has been borne by various notable individuals. One such person is Rael Isacowitz (1950-), a South African-born Israeli educator and peace activist who founded the Middle East Children's Alliance, an organization dedicated to promoting non-violence and understanding among children in the region.
Another prominent figure with the name Rael is Rael Garduno (1988-), a Mexican actress and singer known for her roles in various telenovelas and her successful music career, particularly in the Latin pop genre.
In the realm of literature, Rael Dornfest (1974-) is an American author and technology entrepreneur who has written several books on web development and internet culture.
Rael Lamb (1975-) is a British artist known for her intricate and surreal sculptures, often exploring themes of nature, mythology, and human emotions.
Historically, the name Rael has also been associated with religious figures. Rael Monteiro (1859-1939) was a Brazilian Catholic priest and social reformer who advocated for the rights of indigenous communities and worked tirelessly to improve their living conditions.
It is worth noting that while the name Rael has its roots in Hebrew, it has been adopted and used across various cultures and regions throughout history, transcending its original linguistic and cultural boundaries.
People
Rael + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rael 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
Rael: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rael?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 586 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rael 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 584,905 US residents.
Is Rael a common name?
We classify Rael as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 594 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rael most popular?
The single biggest year for Rael was 2024, when 72 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rael is about 15 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Rael a male name?
Yes, 68.2% of people registered as Rael 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.
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.