Rayleigh
Rayleigh was the 1451st most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 149 babies. Its best year was 2018, when it ranked 1236th with 189 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved up 25 places. More babies were named Rayleigh in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning Not yet researched how we research meanings
- Rank in 2025
- #1,451 girls, down 182 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 149girls
- Girls and boys
- 92% girls, 8% boys2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2018189 babies
- Total since 1880
- 3,098babies recorded
Rayleigh popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,451 | #5,786 | 149 | 16 |
| 2020 | #1,269 | #11,687 | 177 | 6 |
| 2010 | #1,693 | — | 125 | — |
| 2000 | #7,488 | — | 14 | — |
| 1990 | — | — | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
How popular is Rayleigh, counting every spelling?
Rayleigh is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #1,021 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #1,451 for Rayleigh on its own. Together these spellings went to 231 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rayleigh | 149 | #1,451 | 783 |
| Raeleigh | 74 | #2,430 | 513 |
| Raileigh | 8 | #11,698 | 41 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Rayleigh?
149 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Rayleigh (0.04 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Rayleigh born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 56 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Rayleigh.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Rayleigh?
About 3,000 people born in the US named Rayleigh are alive today, with a median age of 9; half are between 5 and 14. That makes Rayleigh a young name: most people with it are children.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Rayleigh by state
How common Rayleigh was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Mississippi (6.0×), Kentucky (5.1×), Alabama (5.1×), Arkansas (3.9×), Tennessee (3.5×). In 32 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Rayleigh: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Rayleigh, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Rayleigh
How popular is the name Rayleigh?
Rayleigh was the 1451st most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 149 babies. Its best year was 2018, when it ranked 1236th with 189 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved up 25 places. More babies were named Rayleigh in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Rayleigh a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, 92% girls, 8% boys given the name Rayleigh in the US.
Where is Rayleigh most popular?
In 2021–2025, Rayleigh was most common in Mississippi (0.58 per 1,000 girls), followed by Kentucky and Alabama.