How to say it
RA · ya
/ˈraɪ.ə/
Feminine
Raya
Friend, or thirst-quenched
What it means
A name with several roots: Hebrew 'friend, companion,' Arabic for 'thirst-quenching,' and a Slavic short for Raisa.
Raya gathers a few meanings: in Hebrew it is 'friend' or 'companion,' in Arabic it suggests being 'thirst-quenched' or a 'banner,' and in Slavic use it is a short for Raisa. That cross-cultural reach plus Disney's 2021 warrior princess in Raya and the Last Dragon sent it climbing. Short and bright, it is said RY-ah or RAH-yah depending on the family.
Popularity over time
peaked at #353 in 2023, currently #369 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pronunciation
RY-ah or RAH-yah.
- Pop culture
Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon (2021) boosted it.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Raya the warrior princess of Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon
Spelling variants
- Raia
- Rayah
- Raja