Raleigh
Raleigh is a gender-neutral, British-originated name meaning "deer's meadow". In 2021, it ranked as the 2242nd most popular given name for all genders. The surname Raleigh originates from the English county of Devon, and is now the 7067th most popular surname in the United States.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Raleigh
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Raleigh is a gender-neutral, British-originated name meaning "deer's meadow". In 2021, it ranked as the 2242nd most popular given name for all genders. The surname Raleigh originates from the English county of Devon, and is now the 7067th most popular surname in the United States.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Raleigh
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Raleigh as a girl name dates back to 1923, when 5 babies received it. 2016 was its biggest year on record, with 170 newborns named Raleigh — #1,380 in the national rankings. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 43% of all recorded Raleighs. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #1,992 among girl names with 99 births, falling sharply (-26%). In total, more than 3K Raleighs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Raleigh first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1880, with 14 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1921: 139 births, good for #528 nationwide. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #2,380 among boy names with 60 births, falling sharply (-23%). In total, more than 9K Raleighs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Raleigh
Phonetically similar names — useful when Raleigh 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 Raleigh
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About the name Raleigh
Raleigh is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 9K births in the dataset. Raleigh's peak popularity came in 1921 when it ranked #349. Use the chart and map above to compare Raleigh's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1921 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- 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.