Soraya

Soraya - A very unique female name

Soraya appeared on the charts for the first time in 1958 on position #1771. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Soraya and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Soraya? 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 Soraya. The baby girl name Soraya was given to 251 baby girls in 2025, ranking #889 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 5,193 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Soraya peaked in popularity 1 years ago in 2025 on position 889.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Soraya, 1-5?

Soraya is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Soraya is currently topping the baby name charts in New Mexico at position #383 - and is the least popular in North Carolina at position #1,656.

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 Soraya is where you live.

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Soraya origin and meaning

Persian, from Arabic

The Persian form of Arabic Thurayya, the name of the Pleiades star cluster, a diminutive linked to 'wealth, abundance'

Soraya carries the Pleiades into a personal name, and in Persia it was borne by Soraya Esfandiary, wife of the last Shah — an association that made it a byword for glamour and tragedy. In US data since 1958 it has risen to a new peak in 2025.

Attested etymology

Soraya is a 6 letter name with 3 syllables.

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

Similar to Soraya

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

Sarah / Sara / Sherry / Sierra / Sherri / Sheri / Shari / Sherrie / Sarai / Sawyer /

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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 Soraya

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 Soraya 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 Soraya?

3 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

sor-AH-yuh · /sɔːrˈɑːjə/
sor-EYE-uh, the anglicised reading, is also common

Around the world

• Soraya (Persian) — The Persian form of the name
• Thurayya (Arabic) — The original Arabic name of the Pleiades
• Soraya (Spanish) — Used as-is in Spain

Famous bearers

• Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary — Queen consort of Iran as wife of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (1932–2001) Contemporary
• Soraya — Spanish singer, born Soraya Arnelas, known by the mononym Soraya (b. 1982) Contemporary

Style

InternationalRoyal

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Soraya for starlight and drama — a name of the Pleiades with a royal Persian chapter and a sound that feels luxurious.

Worth knowing

• Pronunciation splits between sor-AH-yuh and sor-EYE-uh, and spelling needs help outside Persian, Arab and Spanish circles