Raya
Say it: RY-a
Girl4 letters2 syllables
#99
in Ireland (2025)
48
babies in 2025
#99
best rank (2025)
139
babies since 2010
Up 566
10-year rank change
Raya through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 48 | #99 |
| 2024 | 20 | #216 |
| 2023 | 13 | #295 |
| 2022 | 20 | #222 |
| 2021 | 14 | #301 |
| 2020 | 4 | #678 |
| 2019 | 4 | #700 |
| 2016 | 5 | #663 |
| 2015 | 5 | #665 |
| 2014 | 3 | #869 |
| 2010 | 3 | #909 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Raya mean?
Uncertain, with several unrelated origins
Found in several languages, including as a Slavic pet form of Rayna and Raisa and as an Arabic name.
Say it right
RYa
Some families say RAY-a instead.
The story of Raya
Raya has grown up separately in several languages, so it has no single meaning. In Bulgarian and Russian it is a pet form of names such as Rayna and Raisa. It is also used as an Arabic name, and other explanations link it to Hebrew and to Indonesian and Malay words. Which of these a family has in mind will depend on where the name reached them.
In Ireland and Britain its recent rise is usually linked to the Disney film Raya and the Last Dragon, released in 2021.
Raya first reached the CSO list in 2010, but it was rare until the 2020s. In 2025 it was given to 48 girls and reached number 99, its first time in the top 100. It is a little more popular in Northern Ireland, where it reached number 70 in 2024.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Raya (given name)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Raya | 48 | 139 |
In Northern Ireland
#82 in 2025 with 26 babies. Best rank #70 (2024); 125 babies since 2014.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.