Rayden
Raiden, is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. Based on the Japanese deity Raijin, he is depicted as the god of thunder who possesses control over lightning. He debuted in the original 1992 game and has appeared as a playable character in every main installment except Mortal Kombat 3 (1995) and its first update.
Meaning & Origin of Rayden
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Raiden, is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. Based on the Japanese deity Raijin, he is depicted as the god of thunder who possesses control over lightning. He debuted in the original 1992 game and has appeared as a playable character in every main installment except Mortal Kombat 3 (1995) and its first update.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Rayden
As a girl name
Rayden first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1998, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2015, when 29 Raydens were born — ranking #4,724 that year. As of 2026, Rayden ranks #9,184 for girls with 9 births, falling sharply (-40%). In total, more than 386 Raydens have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Rayden first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1991, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 398 Raydens were born — ranking #682 that year. As of 2026, Rayden ranks #757 for boys with 345 births, holding steady (0%). In total, more than 7K Raydens have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Rayden
Phonetically similar names — useful when Rayden 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 Rayden
What does the name Rayden mean?
How popular is Rayden in 2026?
When was Rayden most popular?
In which U.S. states is Rayden most popular?
Is Rayden a unisex name?
What names go well with Rayden?
About the name Rayden
Rayden is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1991 and has accumulated 7K births in the dataset. Rayden's peak popularity came in 2022 when it ranked #670. Use the chart and map above to compare Rayden's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2022 →
- 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.