Unisex · #1,272 in 2026

Rayyan

Al Rayyan is the third-largest municipality in Qatar. Its primary settlement is the city of the same name, which occupies the entire eastern section and is a part of the Doha Metropolitan Area. The vast expanse of mostly undeveloped lands in the south-west also falls under the municipality's administration.

Current Rank
#1,272
Peak Rank
#1,023 (2015)
Total Babies
3K
5-Yr Trend
+3%
👧 Girl peak #5,189 (266 total)
👦 Boy peak #1,023 (3K total)
👦As Boy Name
1996
First Year
2026
Last Year
2015
Peak Year
#1023
Peak Rank
3K
Total Count
30
Years Active
👧As Girl Name
2000
First Year
2026
Last Year
2017
Peak Year
#5189
Peak Rank
266
Total Count
24
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Rayyan

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

Al Rayyan is the third-largest municipality in Qatar. Its primary settlement is the city of the same name, which occupies the entire eastern section and is a part of the Doha Metropolitan Area. The vast expanse of mostly undeveloped lands in the south-west also falls under the municipality's administration.

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

Etymology
Natural spring of Qulmat Al Maszhabiya in Al Mashabiya Reserve, next to Abu Samra . Similar to many other names given to Qatari settlements and municipalities, Al Rayyan Municipality was named after a geographic feature present in its namesake, the city of Al Rayyan . The city derives its name from the Arabic term ray , which translates to "irrigation". This name was bestowed upon it due to its low elevation, allowing it to act as a flood plain and provide a sustained supply of water to the numerous plants that grew within its boundaries.
Origin & history
In March 1893, the Battle of Al Wajbah was fought between the Qataris and Ottomans at the recently built Al Wajbah Fort , located 16 km (10 mi) west of Old Doha. Although Qatar did not gain full independence from the Ottoman Empire, Qataris see the outcome of the battle as a defining moment in the establishment of Qatar as a modern state. Al Rayyan Municipality was created as an independent municipal administration by the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning in 1972. In 2004, Al Jemailiya Municipality was merged with Al Rayyan, and Jariyan Al Batnah Municipality was split between Al Ray

The Story of Rayyan

As a girl name

Rayyan first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 2000, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2017, when 25 Rayyans were born — ranking #5,189 that year. As of 2026, Rayyan ranks #8,239 for girls with 12 births, holding steady (-2%). In total, more than 266 Rayyans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.

As a boy name

Rayyan first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1996, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2015, when 198 Rayyans were born — ranking #1,023 that year. As of 2026, Rayyan ranks #1,272 for boys with 156 births, holding steady (+3%). In total, more than 3K Rayyans 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

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Names that sound like Rayyan

Phonetically similar names — useful when Rayyan 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 Rayyan

What does the name Rayyan mean?
Al Rayyan is the third-largest municipality in Qatar. Its primary settlement is the city of the same name, which occupies the entire eastern section and is a part of the Doha Metropolitan Area. The vast expanse of mostly undeveloped lands in the south-west also falls under the municipality's administration.
How popular is Rayyan in 2026?
In 2026, Rayyan ranks #1,272 among boys' names in the U.S., with 156 babies given the name that year.
When was Rayyan most popular?
Rayyan reached its peak popularity in 2015, ranking #1,023 that year with 198 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Rayyan most popular?
Rayyan has historically been most popular in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Rayyan.
Is Rayyan a unisex name?
Yes — Rayyan is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 7% of Rayyans assigned female and 93% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Rayyan?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Rayyan include Renard, Keir, Pharaoh. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Rayyan

Rayyan is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1996 and has accumulated 3K births in the dataset. Rayyan's peak popularity came in 2015 when it ranked #1,023. Use the chart and map above to compare Rayyan'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.