Raye
Every Raye since 1889 — 2,603 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Raye
Raye is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #6,769 in 2025 with 17 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1889, 2,603 American babies have been named Raye — about 88% girls and 12% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1956, when 74 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 Raye stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Raye 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 | 17 | #6,769 | — | — |
| 2024 | 14 | #7,879 | — | — |
| 2023 | 15 | #7,561 | — | — |
| 2022 | 16 | #7,221 | — | — |
| 2021 | 13 | #8,368 | — | — |
| 2020 | 19 | #6,277 | — | — |
| 2019 | 16 | #7,273 | — | — |
| 2018 | 15 | #7,680 | — | — |
| 2017 | 12 | #9,227 | — | — |
| 2016 | 8 | #12,637 | — | — |
| 2015 | 10 | #10,709 | — | — |
| 2014 | 5 | #18,613 | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — | — | — |
| 2012 | 12 | #9,589 | — | — |
| 2011 | 9 | #11,950 | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — | — | — |
| 2009 | 5 | #19,560 | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — | — | — |
| 2007 | 6 | #17,137 | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — | — | — |
| 2005 | 6 | #16,000 | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — | — | — |
| 2002 | 9 | #10,890 | — | — |
| 2001 | 12 | #8,618 | — | — |
| 2000 | 6 | #14,599 | — | — |
| 1995 | 6 | #12,987 | — | — |
| 1990 | 8 | #9,926 | — | — |
| 1985 | 5 | #11,986 | — | — |
| 1980 | 10 | #6,642 | — | — |
| 1975 | 19 | #3,608 | — | — |
| 1970 | 26 | #2,755 | — | — |
| 1965 | 20 | #2,804 | 8 | #3,189 |
| 1960 | 37 | #1,879 | 6 | #3,967 |
| 1955 | 52 | #1,400 | 5 | #4,272 |
| 1950 | 42 | #1,430 | 7 | #3,256 |
| 1945 | 38 | #1,307 | 6 | #3,246 |
| 1940 | 22 | #1,733 | 7 | #3,071 |
| 1935 | 16 | #2,081 | — | — |
| 1930 | 15 | #2,282 | 6 | #3,916 |
| 1925 | 21 | #1,934 | — | — |
| 1920 | 26 | #1,657 | 5 | #4,828 |
| 1915 | 26 | #1,435 | — | — |
| 1910 | 13 | #1,322 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | 5 | #2,174 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Raye
- Raye Singer · b. 1997
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Raye in 2025?
Raye ranked #6,769 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 17 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Raye?
2,603 babies have been named Raye in the United States since 1889, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Raye most popular?
Raye peaked in 1956, when 74 newborns received the name.
Is Raye a boy or girl name?
Raye is used for both: about 88% of babies named Raye have been girls and 12% boys.
Is the name Raye rising or falling?
Raye is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Raye?
Well-known people named Raye include Raye (singer).