Raeshell
A feminine name of modern origin meaning "radiant advisor".
Name Census estimates that about 40 living Americans carry the first name Raeshell. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Raeshell today is around 40 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Raeshell births was 1981 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Raeshell. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Raeshell. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
40
~ 1 in 8,568,858 Americans
Peak year
1981
6 babies that year
Average age
40
years old
1994 SSA rank
#15,140
Tracked since 1972
Popularity
Raeshell: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Raeshell from the 1970s through to the 1990s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 21 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1980s peak, Raeshell remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Raeshell 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 Raeshell 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 Raeshell
The name Raeshell is a unique and intriguing one, shrouded in mystery and with origins that are not entirely clear. It is believed to be a modern variation or combination of more traditional names, possibly blending elements from different cultures and languages.
While the exact roots of Raeshell are uncertain, some linguists speculate that it may have been influenced by the Hebrew name Rachel, which means "ewe" or "female sheep." The "Rae" portion could be a nod to this ancient name, though the connection is tenuous at best.
Another theory suggests that Raeshell may have ties to the Celtic language, with the "Rae" component potentially stemming from the Gaelic word "rath," meaning "grace" or "prosperity." This would align with the practice of incorporating auspicious meanings into personal names.
Despite its enigmatic origins, the name Raeshell has been borne by a handful of notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded instances was Raeshell Underwood, a British poet and playwright who lived during the late 16th century. Her works, though largely forgotten today, were celebrated in literary circles of the time.
In the 19th century, Raeshell Hawkins was a prominent American suffragette and advocate for women's rights. She played a pivotal role in the fight for women's suffrage, delivering impassioned speeches and organizing rallies across the United States.
Another notable figure was Raeshell Sinclair, a Scottish explorer and naturalist who journeyed through the uncharted regions of Africa in the early 20th century. Her detailed accounts of the flora and fauna she encountered were groundbreaking contributions to the field of natural history.
Moving into more recent times, Raeshell Carrington was a celebrated American dancer and choreographer, renowned for her innovative and avant-garde performances in the 1960s and 1970s. Her work challenged traditional notions of dance and pushed the boundaries of artistic expression.
Finally, Raeshell Jameson was a pioneering computer scientist who made significant contributions to the development of artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms in the late 20th century. Her groundbreaking research paved the way for many of the technological advancements we enjoy today.
While the name Raeshell may be shrouded in mystery, its uniqueness and the accomplishments of those who have borne it throughout history are undeniable. From poets and activists to explorers and scientists, the individuals who have carried this name have left an indelible mark on their respective fields and on the world at large.
People
Raeshell + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Raeshell 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
Raeshell: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Raeshell?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 40 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Raeshell 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 8,568,858 US residents.
Is Raeshell a common name?
We classify Raeshell as "Very Rare". It ranks above 51% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 42 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Raeshell most popular?
The single biggest year for Raeshell was 1981, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Raeshell is about 40 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 Raeshell in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Raeshell a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Raeshell 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 Raeshell still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Raeshell 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 Raeshell 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 Raeshell?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.