Raya
How to say it: RYE-uh · /ˈraɪə/
Hebrew 'friend'; Arabic 'flag/banner'; Slavic form of Ray. Disney's 'Raya' (2021) boosted global use.
Raya was the 307th most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 831 babies (Social Security Administration). The 2020s are its busiest decade so far, its births are up 3.3-fold in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #120 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among girls’ names, 2025 | #307 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 831 |
| Share of births | 1 in 3,115 |
| Peak decade | 2020s |
| Change over 10 years | ×3.3 |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #120 |
| In France, 2025 | #1,126 among girls’ names, 20 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Almost entirely a creation of recent decades, Raya reached its height in the 2020s. Still at that high point, it looks set to keep rising.
What goes with it
Soft and airy, Raya travels well. Aria and Zara make light companions.
Middle names that flow with Raya →
Nicknames
- Ray
- Rae
Honouring a Raya in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Raya is about 1 in 130.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Arabic, English, French, Hebrew, Spanish.
In France: #1,126 for girls in 2025.
England and Wales: #82. Ireland: #101.
Famous people named Raya
- Raya Dunayevskaya (1910–1987)American philosopher
- Raya Garbousova (1906–1997)Russian-American musician
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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