Raya sits comfortably in the UK charts at #82 in 2024 — recognisable but not overwhelming. Your child may occasionally share their name.
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UK Rank 2024
#82
US Rank #363
About the Name Raya
2024 marks Raya's peak year in UK records so far, sitting at UK #82. The name has climbed 311 places in the last five years β a significant surge by any measure. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996. It briefly reached the UK top 100, though it typically sits a little further down the charts.
Raya is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school β standing out on every register.
In the US it sits at #363 β notably more popular in the UK than across the Atlantic.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Raya
Unlikely. With around 574 UK babies named Raya per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Raya in his class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Raya is currently rising in popularity in the UK, up 311 places over the last five years to #82 in 2024. If this trend continues, it will become more common in classrooms over the next decade.
Raya is more popular in the UK (#82) than in the US (#363). Names with strong rankings in both countries tend to have broad cross-cultural appeal, working well for international families or those with ties to both nations.
Notable people named Raya include: Raya Abirached β Raya Abirached is a Lebanese TV presenter and celebrity journalist at MBC.; Raya Hatahet β Raya Hatahet is a Jordanian taekwondo martial artist.; Raya Nazaryan β Raya Nazar Nazaryan is a Bulgarian politician who has been serving as Speaker of the National Assembly since 29 October 2025..
Raya appears in the US top 500 at #363 in 2024 β moderately popular in America, though less so than in the UK.
574
UK babies named Raya (2024)
~0.0
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.3
In a school of 600
↑ 311 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Raya
Likely around 1 other Raya in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2024)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Raya
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Raya Hatahet is a Jordanian taekwondo martial artist. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, she competed as an injury replacement in the Women's 49 kg competition, but was eliminated in the first round by Mexican Jannet AlegrΓa, by a score of 12-1.
Raya Nazar Nazaryan is a Bulgarian politician who has been serving as Speaker of the National Assembly since 29 October 2025. She previously held the same role from June to November in 2024.
Ramachandra Raya was an emperor of the Vijayanagara Empire from the Sangama Dynasty. Ramachandra Raya succeeded Deva Raya I and briefly reigned as emperor after the latter's death on 25 February 1423.
Veera Vijaya Bukka Raya, also known as Bukka Raya III and Vijaya Raya, was an emperor of the Vijayanagara Empire from the Sangama Dynasty. Vijaya Raya was the son of Deva Raya I and succeeded his brother, Ramachandra Raya, in 1423 as the emperor of the Vijayanagara Empire.
Achyuta Deva Raya was a emperor of Vijayanagara who succeeded his older brother, Krishnadevaraya, after the latter's death in 1529. During his reign, Fernao Nuniz, a Portuguese-Jewish traveller, chronicler and horse trader visited India and spent three years in Vijayanagara.
Joseph Raya (Arabic: ΩΩΨ³Ω Ψ±Ψ§ΩΨ§) was a Lebanese-born Melkite Catholic prelate who served as Archeparch of Akka from 1968 to 1974. He was also a theologian and civil rights advocate.
Rama Raya was a statesman of the Vijayanagara Empire, the son-in-law of Emperor Krishna Deva Raya and the progenitor of the Aravidu dynasty of Vijayanagara Empire, the fourth and last dynasty of the empire. As a regent, he was the de facto ruler of the empire from 1542 to 1565, although legally the emperor during this period was Sadasiva Raya, who was merely a puppet ruler.
Sadasiva Raya was the last Emperor of Vijayanagara from the Tuluva dynasty, and reigned from 1542 until his death in 1570. During most of his reign, Rama Raya was the de facto ruler of the state, and created strategic alliances with the Deccan sultanates, who later formed an alliance against Vijayanagara and decisively defeated Rama Raya at the Battle of Talikota in 1565.