Raleigh

Raleigh - A very unique female name

Raleigh appeared on the charts for the first time in 1993 on position #4718. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Raleigh and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Raleigh? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Raleigh. The baby girl name Raleigh was given to 38 baby girls in 2025, ranking #2251 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 34,302 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Raleigh peaked in popularity 9 years ago in 2017 on position 1323.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Raleigh, 1-5?

Raleigh is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Raleigh is currently topping the baby name charts in South Carolina at position #752 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #3,686.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Raleigh is where you live.

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Raleigh origin and meaning

English surname and place name

A transferred surname from the Devon place name, from Old English ra, 'roe deer', and leah, 'clearing' — 'roe-deer clearing'

Raleigh is Sir Walter Raleigh's surname and a Devon place name, later also North Carolina's capital. For girls it is a recent surname-style adoption, in the data since 1993, which peaked in 2017 and has fallen sharply since.

Attested etymology

Raleigh is a 7 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Raleigh, pop culture references for the name Raleigh and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Raleigh

We've found the following names that sound similar to Raleigh, sorted by popularity.

Ryleigh / Rileigh / Rayleigh / Raeleigh / Rhyleigh /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Raleigh

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Raleigh a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique female name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Raleigh?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

RAW-lee · /ˈrɔli/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Rayleigh — A respelling in the -leigh style.
• Rawley — A rarer spelling.

Famous bearers

None yet — the name first appears in the data in 1993, and its oldest bearers are still young.

Style

SurnamePlace name

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Raleigh for a polished Southern surname feel for a girl. It is falling fast from its 2017 peak.

Worth knowing

• The spelling (Raleigh vs Rayleigh) varies, and the strongest association — Walter Raleigh — is male.