Rae
A diminutive of the female given name Rachel, also used as a formal given name, mostly as a middle name.
Every Rae since 1880 — 24,420 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Rae
Rae is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #1,306 in 2025 with 171 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 24,420 American babies have been named Rae. Its peak came in 1956, when 412 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Rae stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Rae year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 171 | #1,306 | 5 | #13,425 |
| 2024 | 184 | #1,267 | 11 | #7,633 |
| 2023 | 199 | #1,204 | 5 | #13,690 |
| 2022 | 207 | #1,170 | 5 | #13,856 |
| 2021 | 241 | #1,048 | 7 | #10,537 |
| 2020 | 233 | #1,065 | 11 | #7,386 |
| 2019 | 200 | #1,179 | 7 | #10,554 |
| 2018 | 218 | #1,126 | 7 | #10,477 |
| 2017 | 159 | #1,434 | 8 | #9,487 |
| 2016 | 194 | #1,262 | 5 | #13,716 |
| 2015 | 96 | #2,055 | — | — |
| 2014 | 89 | #2,151 | 7 | #10,462 |
| 2013 | 71 | #2,526 | — | — |
| 2012 | 84 | #2,260 | 5 | #13,745 |
| 2011 | 60 | #2,896 | 5 | #13,848 |
| 2010 | 57 | #3,003 | 6 | #11,845 |
| 2009 | 60 | #2,926 | — | — |
| 2008 | 63 | #2,849 | 5 | #14,120 |
| 2007 | 60 | #2,985 | — | — |
| 2006 | 69 | #2,624 | — | — |
| 2005 | 66 | #2,601 | — | — |
| 2004 | 58 | #2,803 | 6 | #11,011 |
| 2003 | 48 | #3,116 | 6 | #10,542 |
| 2002 | 54 | #2,812 | 5 | #12,058 |
| 2001 | 74 | #2,208 | — | — |
| 2000 | 74 | #2,169 | — | — |
| 1995 | 105 | #1,505 | 6 | #8,617 |
| 1990 | 124 | #1,314 | — | — |
| 1985 | 108 | #1,260 | 5 | #7,332 |
| 1980 | 147 | #1,001 | — | — |
| 1975 | 157 | #854 | — | — |
| 1970 | 282 | #615 | — | — |
| 1965 | 314 | #537 | 8 | #3,186 |
| 1960 | 247 | #643 | 10 | #2,824 |
| 1955 | 367 | #475 | 11 | #2,526 |
| 1950 | 316 | #456 | 14 | #2,092 |
| 1945 | 252 | #450 | 8 | #2,714 |
| 1940 | 197 | #487 | 9 | #2,632 |
| 1935 | 249 | #414 | 12 | #2,218 |
| 1930 | 167 | #525 | 24 | #1,523 |
| 1925 | 223 | #462 | 14 | #2,295 |
| 1920 | 198 | #490 | 20 | #1,806 |
| 1915 | 215 | #408 | 10 | #2,582 |
| 1910 | 87 | #425 | — | — |
| 1905 | 59 | #441 | — | — |
| 1900 | 68 | #406 | — | — |
| 1895 | 81 | #321 | 8 | #854 |
| 1890 | 53 | #353 | — | — |
| 1885 | 17 | #537 | — | — |
| 1880 | 10 | #573 | — | — |
Famous people named Rae
- Rae Dawn Chong Actor · b. 1961
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Rae mean?
A diminutive of the female given name Rachel, also used as a formal given name, mostly as a middle name.
How popular is the name Rae in 2025?
Rae ranked #1,306 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 171 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Rae?
24,420 babies have been named Rae in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Rae most popular?
Rae peaked in 1956, when 412 newborns received the name.
Is Rae a boy or girl name?
Rae is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 96% of babies with the name.
Is the name Rae rising or falling?
Rae is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Rae?
Well-known people named Rae include Rae Dawn Chong (actor).