Raisean
A name of African American origin alluding to being raised up.
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Raisean. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Raisean today is around 23 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Raisean births was 2003 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Raisean. 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 Raisean. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
2003
6 babies that year
Average age
23
years old
2003 SSA rank
#10,551
Tracked since 2003
Popularity
Raisean: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Raisean 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 Raisean during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Raisean
The name Raisean has its origins tracing back to the ancient Celtic cultures of the British Isles. It is believed to have been derived from the Proto-Celtic root word "rig-yo," which translates to "ruler" or "king." This linguistic connection suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed upon individuals of high social standing or nobility.
During the Middle Ages, the name Raisean was particularly prevalent in regions of Ireland and Scotland. It is found in several medieval Irish and Scottish Gaelic manuscripts, often referring to prominent figures in local histories and folklore. One notable example is the 12th-century tale of Raisean mac Fáelchon, a legendary Irish warrior celebrated for his bravery and leadership.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Raisean can be traced back to the 9th century, when it appears in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle detailing historical events in medieval Ireland. The entry mentions a chieftain named Raisean Ua Cormaic, who played a significant role in a territorial dispute between rival clans.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Raisean. In the 15th century, Raisean MacLeod was a prominent Scottish clan chief who fought alongside the Lords of the Isles during the Scottish-Norwegian War. Another notable figure was Raisean O'Donnell, an Irish nobleman and military leader who lived in the late 16th century and played a crucial role in the Nine Years' War against English forces.
In the realm of literature, one cannot overlook the character of Raisean Dubh, the central figure in the 18th-century Gaelic poem cycle "Laoidh Raisean Dubh" (The Lay of Raisean the Black). This epic work immortalized the exploits of a legendary Irish hero and has been celebrated as a masterpiece of Scottish Gaelic poetry.
Another historical figure who carried the name Raisean was Raisean Mac Mathghamhna, an Irish bard and poet who lived in the 17th century. His works, preserved in various manuscript collections, offer valuable insights into the cultural and literary traditions of his time.
These examples illustrate the deep-rooted historical significance of the name Raisean, which has been borne by notable figures across various fields, from warfare and politics to literature and poetry, throughout the centuries.
People
Raisean + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Raisean 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
Raisean: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Raisean?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Raisean 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 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Raisean a common name?
We classify Raisean as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Raisean most popular?
The single biggest year for Raisean was 2003, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Raisean is about 23 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 Raisean in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Raisean a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Raisean 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 Raisean still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Raisean 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 Raisean 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 Americans are named Raisean?
Want to know how many people share the name Raisean? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.