Reya
A feminine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "wealthy" or "prosperous".
Name Census estimates that about 2,662 living Americans carry the first name Reya. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Reya today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Reya births was 2024 (305 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Reya. 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
- • Reya is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 9 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
2.7K
~ 1 in 128,758 Americans
Peak year
2024
305 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#884
Tracked since 1982
Popularity
Reya: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Reya from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 1,221 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
Reya 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 Reya during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Reyas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 26 states and territories. California, Texas, New York recorded the most babies named Reya, while Kentucky, Alabama, Missouri recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 64 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Reya
The name Reya is a variant of the Sanskrit name Radhika, which means "prosperous" or "successful." It is derived from the Sanskrit word "radh," meaning "to succeed" or "to accomplish." The name Radhika has its roots in Hindu mythology, where it is associated with the consort of Lord Krishna.
In ancient Hindu texts, Radha is revered as the embodiment of divine love and devotion. Her unwavering devotion to Krishna is celebrated in various religious scriptures and literary works, such as the Bhagavata Purana and the Gita Govinda. Radha's name symbolizes the pure and selfless love that transcends the material world.
The earliest recorded use of the name Reya can be traced back to the 16th century in India. One of the earliest known historical figures with this name was Reya Chowdhury, a prominent Bengali poet and philosopher who lived during the 16th century. Her literary works and philosophical teachings had a significant impact on Bengali culture and literature.
Another notable figure with the name Reya was Reya Devi, a 17th-century Indian warrior queen who ruled the princely state of Gohad in present-day Madhya Pradesh. She is renowned for her military prowess and her efforts to defend her kingdom against invading forces.
In the 19th century, Reya Krishnabai was a prominent social reformer and educator in India. She established several schools for girls and worked tirelessly to promote women's education and empowerment.
Moving into the 20th century, Reya Chaudhuri was an acclaimed Indian dancer and choreographer who played a pivotal role in reviving and popularizing Indian classical dance forms, particularly Manipuri dance.
In more recent times, Reya Sunshine, born in 1982, is a renowned American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She has gained recognition for her unique blend of folk, rock, and world music, and her socially conscious lyrics.
While the name Reya has its origins in Sanskrit and Hindu mythology, it has transcended cultural boundaries and gained popularity across various regions and communities. The name's association with prosperity, success, and divine love has contributed to its enduring appeal throughout history.
People
Reya + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Reya 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
Reya: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Reya?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,662 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Reya 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 128,758 US residents.
Is Reya a common name?
We classify Reya as "Rare". It ranks above 94.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,684 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Reya most popular?
The single biggest year for Reya was 2024, when 305 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Reya is about 9 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Reya a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Reya 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.
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.