Rae is a distinctive choice, ranked #353 in 2025. Your child is likely to be the only Rae in their class.
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UK Rank 2025
#353
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About the Name Rae
Rae is gradually declining in popularity, having dropped 27 places over five years. Its high point was #282 in 2021, and it now sits at #347. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.
Rae is fairly common in the UK, so your child is very likely to be the only Rae in their class.
⭐ Famous People Named Rae
Fiona Rae — Fiona Rae is a Hong Kong-born British artist.
Rae Baker — Rachel Jane "Rae" Baker is an English actress most famous for playing Detective Constable Juliet Becker in the long running ITV drama The Bill.
Biographical summaries are shortened from Wikipedia and are used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence; those summaries remain available under that same licence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Rae
Unlikely. With around 121 UK babies named Rae per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Rae in their class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Rae has been fairly steady, ranked #353 in 2025 against #320 in 2020. Its best recorded position was #282 in 2021.
Rae is a distinctive choice sitting outside the mainstream UK top names. Parents choosing less common names often find their children appreciate the individuality as they grow up, rarely needing to add an initial to distinguish themselves.
Notable people named Rae include: Fiona Rae, Rae Baker and Jude Rae. Short summaries for each appear below.
Rae does not appear in the US top 1,000 baby names, making it a distinctively British choice — your child is unlikely to encounter American Raes in the wild.
121
UK babies named Rae (2025)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.1
In a school of 600
↓ 33 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Rae
Almost certainly the only Rae in the class
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UK Popularity (1996–2025)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
No US data available for this name
✨ Similar names to Rae
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Fonda Rae is an American R&B singer best known for her club hits like "Over Like a Fat Rat" and "Touch Me" (the latter of which was later covered by Cathy Dennis).