Boy · #11,037 in 2026

Rayshard

On the night of June 12, 2020, Rayshard Brooks, a 27-year-old black American man, was confronted by officers of the Atlanta Police Department (APD) and was shot by APD officer Garrett Rolfe.

Current Rank
#11,037
Peak Rank
#4,811 (1989)
Total Babies
132
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1986
First Year
2008
Last Year
1989
Peak Year
#4811
Peak Rank
132
Total Count
19
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Rayshard

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

On the night of June 12, 2020, Rayshard Brooks, a 27-year-old black American man, was confronted by officers of the Atlanta Police Department (APD) and was shot by APD officer Garrett Rolfe.

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

The Story of Rayshard

Rayshard first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1986, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1989, when 10 Rayshards were born — ranking #4,811 that year. As of 2026, Rayshard ranks #11,037 for baby boys with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 132 Rayshards have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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Top 10
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No data

Names that sound like Rayshard

Phonetically similar names — useful when Rayshard 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 Rayshard

What does the name Rayshard mean?
On the night of June 12, 2020, Rayshard Brooks, a 27-year-old black American man, was confronted by officers of the Atlanta Police Department (APD) and was shot by APD officer Garrett Rolfe.
How popular is Rayshard in 2026?
In 2026, Rayshard ranks #11,037 among boys' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.
When was Rayshard most popular?
Rayshard reached its peak popularity in 1989, ranking #4,811 that year with 10 babies given the name.
Is Rayshard a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Rayshard is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Rayshard?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Rayshard include Elise, Lucia, Kin. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Rayshard

Rayshard is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1986 and has accumulated 132 births in the dataset. Rayshard's peak popularity came in 1989 when it ranked #4,811. Use the chart and map above to compare Rayshard'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.