Raiden
Raiden is a masculine Japanese name meaning "thunder and lightning".
Name Census estimates that about 12,278 living Americans carry the first name Raiden. It sits at #449 in the overall ranking, outside the top 50 but still well-represented. It is a predominantly male name (96.4% of registrations). The average person named Raiden today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Raiden births was 2022 (968 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Raiden. 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
- • Although Raiden is used almost entirely for boys, the SSA data does show 442 girls registered with the name since 1880.
- • Raiden is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 10 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
12K
~ 1 in 27,916 Americans
Peak year
2022
968 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2024 SSA rank
#449
Tracked since 1993
Gender
Gender distribution for Raiden
Raiden leans heavily male at 96.4% of total registrations, but 442 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Raiden as a male name
- Ranked #449 in 2024
- 702 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2022 (934 births)
Raiden as a female name
- Ranked #5,245 in 2024
- 25 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2016 (42 births)
Popularity
Raiden: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Raiden from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 6,405 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Raiden remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Raiden 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 Raiden during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Raidens live
The SSA's state-level files cover 46 states and territories. Texas, California, Florida recorded the most babies named Raiden, while Maine, Wyoming, North Dakota recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 236 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Raiden
The given name Raiden originates from Japanese culture and is derived from the combination of two words: "rai" meaning thunder, and "den" meaning transmission or flash. This name is closely associated with the Shinto god of thunder and lightning, Raijin, who plays a prominent role in Japanese mythology.
In ancient Japanese texts and folklore, Raiden is often depicted as a fearsome deity capable of summoning thunderstorms and unleashing powerful lightning strikes. The name carries connotations of strength, power, and the natural forces of nature. It was commonly used as a name for boys in hopes of bestowing upon them the attributes of the thunder god, such as courage, resilience, and determination.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Raiden can be traced back to the 8th century CE, during the Nara period of Japanese history. In the historical text "Nihon Shoki" (The Chronicles of Japan), there are references to a powerful warlord named Raiden no Suguru, who was renowned for his military prowess and leadership skills.
Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the name Raiden. One such figure was Raiden Tamenobu (1529-1602), a skilled swordsman and samurai who served under the famous warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi during the Sengoku period of Japan. Another prominent Raiden was Raiden Narimasa (1612-1691), a renowned poet and scholar of the Edo period, known for his contributions to the field of Japanese literature.
In more recent times, the name Raiden gained global recognition through its association with the iconic video game character of the same name from the "Mortal Kombat" franchise. Raiden, the God of Thunder, is a powerful and respected figure in the game's lore, often depicted as a protector of the Earth realm and a fierce combatant against evil forces.
Other notable individuals with the name Raiden include Raiden Inui (1932-2017), a Japanese professional wrestler and promoter who was a pioneer in the world of puroresu (Japanese professional wrestling), and Raiden Katayama (born 1987), a Japanese professional basketball player who has played for several teams in the Japanese B.League.
While the name Raiden is deeply rooted in Japanese culture and mythology, it has gained popularity worldwide, transcending cultural boundaries and appealing to those who appreciate its strong symbolism and connection to the powerful forces of nature.
People
Raiden + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Raiden 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
Raiden: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Raiden?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 12,278 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Raiden 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 27,916 US residents.
Is Raiden a common name?
We classify Raiden as "Uncommon". It ranks above 98% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 12,375 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Raiden most popular?
The single biggest year for Raiden was 2022, when 968 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Raiden is about 10 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Raiden a male name?
Yes, 96.4% of people registered as Raiden 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.