Girl · #1,922 in 2026

Rayah

The rayah or reaya was a member of the tax-paying lower class of Ottoman society, in contrast to the askeri (military) and kul. Ottoman subjects were initially divided into roughly two taxable classes, the military class (askeri) and working class (rayah).

Current Rank
#1,922
Peak Rank
#1,920 (2026)
Total Babies
2K
5-Yr Trend
+29%
1992
First Year
2026
Last Year
2026
Peak Year
#1920
Peak Rank
2K
Total Count
35
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Rayah

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

The rayah or reaya was a member of the tax-paying lower class of Ottoman society, in contrast to the askeri (military) and kul. Ottoman subjects were initially divided into roughly two taxable classes, the military class (askeri) and working class (rayah).

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Origin & history
The rayah were the peasant tax-paying subjects of the Timariots , active until the disintegration of the timar system in the 16th century. The Timariot made sure that the peasants preserved their status, and although a peasant could reach a public function, it would not change his status. There was an Ottoman principle saying "the son of a rayah is a rayah". After the mid-15th century, members of the sipahi and devshirme managed to enter the elite as advisors or viziers, while the chances of the rayah diminished. Lütfi Pasha , the Grand Vizier (1539–41), described the specific classification o

The Story of Rayah

Rayah first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1992, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 104 Rayahs were born — ranking #1,922 that year. As of 2026, Rayah ranks #1,922 for baby girls with 104 births, rising sharply (+29% over the past five years). In total, more than 2K Rayahs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
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WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
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IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
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VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
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AR
TN
NC
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AZ
NM
OK
LA
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Top 10
11-50
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500+
No data

Names that sound like Rayah

Phonetically similar names — useful when Rayah 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 Rayah

What does the name Rayah mean?
The rayah or reaya was a member of the tax-paying lower class of Ottoman society, in contrast to the askeri (military) and kul. Ottoman subjects were initially divided into roughly two taxable classes, the military class (askeri) and working class (rayah).
How popular is Rayah in 2026?
In 2026, Rayah ranks #1,922 among girls' names in the U.S., with 104 babies given the name that year.
When was Rayah most popular?
Rayah reached its peak popularity in 2026, ranking #1,920 that year with 104 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Rayah most popular?
Rayah has historically been most popular in Massachusetts, Louisiana, Michigan. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Rayah.
Is Rayah a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Rayah is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Rayah?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Rayah include Evana, Jori, Desarae. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Evana
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Jori
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Desarae
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👧
Eryka
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👧
Dayatra
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👧
Floree
Peak #1921
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Hiroko
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Kathyleen
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About the name Rayah

Rayah is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1992 and has accumulated 2K births in the dataset. Rayah's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #1,920. Use the chart and map above to compare Rayah'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.