Find out how popular the first name Raylene has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Raylene by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Raylene is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 32 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Raylene.

The history of the first name Raylene

The name Raylene is of English origin and is a combination of the name Rayleen, which is a variant of the name Rachel, and the suffix "-ene" or "-ine" which was commonly added to feminine names in the 20th century. The name Rachel is derived from the Hebrew name "רָחֵל" (Rāchēl), meaning "ewe" or "female sheep".

The earliest recorded use of the name Raylene dates back to the early 20th century, around the 1920s. It is believed to have originated as a combination of the names Ray and Arlene, with the addition of the feminine suffix "-ene" or "-ine". This practice of creating new names by combining elements of existing names and adding suffixes was particularly popular during this time period.

One of the earliest known individuals with the name Raylene was Raylene Brooks, an American actress born in 1921. She had a career in Hollywood during the 1940s and 1950s, appearing in several films and television shows. Another notable Raylene from the mid-20th century was Raylene Rankin, a Canadian singer-songwriter born in 1939, who was part of the popular folk music group The Rankin Family.

In the realm of literature, the name Raylene appears in the 1967 novel "The Outsiders" by S.E. Hinton, where one of the characters is named Raylene. This exposure in a popular book likely contributed to the name's popularity in the following decades.

Raylene Holloway, born in 1935, was a Canadian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan from 1982 to 1995. Raylene Ranft, born in 1962, is an American voice actress and animator best known for her work at Pixar Animation Studios, where she provided the voice for characters like Jacqueline in "Ratatouille" and the witch in "Brave".

While the name Raylene saw a surge in popularity in the mid-20th century, its usage has declined in recent decades. However, it remains a unique and distinctive name with a rich history and cultural significance.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Raylene was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Raylene, please contact us.

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