Ra
Ra or Re was the ancient Egyptian deity of the Sun. By the Fifth Dynasty, in the 25th and 24th centuries BC, Ra had become one of the most important gods in ancient Egyptian religion, identified primarily with the noon-day Sun. Ra ruled in all parts of the created world: the sky, the Earth, and the Duat (underworld). He was believed to have ruled as the first pharaoh of Ancient Egypt.
- Egyptian Mythology
Meaning & Origin of Ra
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Ra or Re was the ancient Egyptian deity of the Sun. By the Fifth Dynasty, in the 25th and 24th centuries BC, Ra had become one of the most important gods in ancient Egyptian religion, identified primarily with the noon-day Sun. Ra ruled in all parts of the created world: the sky, the Earth, and the Duat (underworld). He was believed to have ruled as the first pharaoh of Ancient Egypt.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Egyptian Mythology
The Story of Ra
As a girl name
American parents first put Ra on the record books as a girl name in 1969, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1969, when 5 Ras were born — ranking #7,472 that year. About 25% of every Ra on record arrived during the 1960s, its defining decade. Ra last appeared in the published SSA data in 2010, with 5 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 20 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1960s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
Ra first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1972, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2023: 29 births, good for #3,794 nationwide. About 48% of every Ra on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Ra ranks #5,316 for boys with 18 births, rising sharply (+22% over the past five years). All told, over 251 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1970s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Ra
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Ra. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Re
Names that sound like Ra
Phonetically similar names — useful when Ra is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Raw
- Rah
- Raa
- Rha
- Raah
- Rao
- Rau
- Rawe
- Wrao
- Rauh
- Rauw
- Raue
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ra
What does the name Ra mean?
What is the origin of the name Ra?
How popular is Ra in 2026?
When was Ra most popular?
In which U.S. states is Ra most popular?
Is Ra a unisex name?
What names go well with Ra?
What are nicknames or variants of Ra?
About the name Ra
Ra is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1972 and has accumulated 251 births in the dataset. Ra's peak popularity came in 2023 when it ranked #3,794. Use the chart and map above to compare Ra's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2023 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "R" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.