Raya

Raya - A very unique female name

Raya appeared on the charts for the first time in 1979 on position #2962. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Raya and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Raya? 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 Raya. The baby girl name Raya was given to 800 baby girls in 2025, ranking #371 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 1,629 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Raya peaked in popularity 3 years ago in 2023 on position 352.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Raya, 1-5?

Raya is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Raya is currently topping the baby name charts in Delaware at position #137 - and is the least popular in Kentucky at position #846.

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 Raya is where you live.

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Raya origin and meaning

Multiple origins — used internationally

Meanings differ by culture: in Hebrew raya means 'friend'; it is also a Bulgarian name and a word in several languages

Raya is a short name with several genuine but separate roots — Hebrew 'friend,' a Bulgarian form related to Ray, and uses in Malay and other languages — so no single meaning covers all bearers. Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon (2021) drove its US surge from #941 in 2020 to a 2023 peak.

Origin uncertain

Raya is a 4 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Raya

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

Rae / Rhea / Rory / Riya / Ria / Ray / Reya / Rori / Rio / Ruhi /

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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 Raya

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 Raya 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 Raya?

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

RY-uh · /ˈraɪə/

Around the world

• Raya (Hebrew) — A Hebrew name meaning 'friend'
• Raya (Bulgarian) — A Bulgarian feminine name

Spellings and nicknames

• Rayah — Respelling with -h
• Reya — Respelling

Famous bearers

• Raya — Warrior heroine of Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon (Fictional, 2021) Fictional

Style

InternationalModern coinage

Why parents choose it

A brief, bright, cross-cultural name whose Disney heroine gave it a brave, adventurous image.

Worth knowing

• Often mispronounced RAY-uh, and confused with Maya, Kaya and Rhea.
• Online sources assign it many conflicting meanings — they reflect different names sharing a spelling.