Unisex · #3,344 in 2026

Rai

Current Rank
#3,344
Peak Rank
#3,290 (2023)
Total Babies
420
5-Yr Trend
+120%
👧 Girl peak #7,280 (136 total)
👦 Boy peak #3,290 (420 total)
👦As Boy Name
1993
First Year
2026
Last Year
2023
Peak Year
#3290
Peak Rank
420
Total Count
28
Years Active
👧As Girl Name
1952
First Year
2024
Last Year
2022
Peak Year
#7280
Peak Rank
136
Total Count
19
Years Active

The Story of Rai

As a girl name

Rai first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1952, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 15 Rais were born — ranking #7,280 that year. As of 2026, Rai ranks #10,241 for girls with 9 births, rising sharply (+60% over the past five years). In total, more than 136 Rais have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.

As a boy name

Rai first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1993, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2023, when 36 Rais were born — ranking #3,290 that year. As of 2026, Rai ranks #3,344 for boys with 36 births, rising sharply (+120% over the past five years). In total, more than 420 Rais have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Girls Boys

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Rai

Phonetically similar names — useful when Rai is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Rai

What does the name Rai mean?
Rai is a boy's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1993. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.
How popular is Rai in 2026?
In 2026, Rai ranks #3,344 among boys' names in the U.S., with 36 babies given the name that year.
When was Rai most popular?
Rai reached its peak popularity in 2023, ranking #3,290 that year with 36 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Rai most popular?
Rai has historically been most popular in California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Rai.
Is Rai a unisex name?
Yes — Rai is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 24% of Rais assigned female and 76% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Rai?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Rai include Azad, Zamar, Chesky. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Rai

Rai is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1993 and has accumulated 420 births in the dataset. Rai's peak popularity came in 2023 when it ranked #3,290. Use the chart and map above to compare Rai's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.