NameCensus.

UK name, mostly girls

Rain

A gender-neutral name of English origin signifying precipitation from the sky.

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Also recorded as a boys' name in the UK, with 97 boys.

Rain is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Rain popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1491, with 21 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 21 births.

This profile covers 174 England and Wales registrations across 22 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

Rain is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 178 living people in the UK are called Rain. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Rain ranked #1491 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 21 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2024, when 21 girls were registered as Rain.
  • Rain ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #540 in 2023.
  • Rain is also recorded for boys, but the girls side is the larger UK variant in these records.
  • About 178 living people in the UK are estimated to have Rain as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 64.2% of Rain registrations are for girls.

Latest rank (E&W)

#1491

2024

Births in 2024

21

Latest year

Peak year

2024

21 births

Estimated living

178

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Rain

In England and Wales birth records, Rain has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 35.8% of registrations are for boys and 64.2% are for girls.

These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.

36% boys
64% girls
Boys97 (35.8%)Girls174 (64.2%)

Rain registered for boys

  • Ranked #2,088 in 2024
  • 11 boys registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2023 (18 births)

Rain registered for girls

  • Ranked #1,491 in 2024
  • 21 girls registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2024 (21 births)

Meaning

What does Rain mean?

The name Rain is of English origin and is believed to have emerged as a given name during the late 20th century. It is derived from the word "rain," which refers to the condensed moisture that falls from the atmosphere in the form of drops.

While the name Rain does not have a long historical lineage, it is thought to have been inspired by the natural phenomenon of rain and its symbolism in various cultures. In many traditions, rain is seen as a symbol of fertility, renewal, and cleansing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rain can be found in the work of American author Richard Brautigan, who wrote a novel titled "Trout Fishing in America" in 1967. In the novel, one of the characters is named Rain.

Among the notable individuals who have borne the name Rain throughout history, one can mention:

1. Rain Pryor (born 1969), an American actress and comedian, daughter of renowned comedian Richard Pryor. 2. Rain Phoenix (born 1972), an American actress, musician, and singer, sister of the late actor River Phoenix. 3. Rain Brown (born 2002), an American reality television personality known for her appearance on the show "Alaskan Bush People." 4. Rain Wilson (born 1976), an American actress known for her roles in films such as "The Cooler" and "Reign Over Me." 5. Rain Dove (born 1989), an American model, actor, and activist known for their work in promoting gender inclusivity and challenging traditional gender norms.

While the name Rain may be relatively modern in its usage as a given name, it has gained popularity in recent decades, perhaps reflecting a growing appreciation for nature-inspired names and the symbolism associated with the natural phenomenon of rain.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Rain over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Rain in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Rain, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 21 births in 2024, compared with 21 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
08162432199620102024

Decades

Rain by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Rain was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #1915 76 5
2010s #3855 59 9
2000s #3724 30 6
1990s #3099 9 2

Geography

Where Rain is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Rain. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Rain ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #540 in 2023.

Scotland
5

Across the UK

Rain in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#540 in 2023

1 years of NRS records, 5 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Rain

  • Rain (muzyk)

    musician; guitarist; singer

Related

Names similar to Rain

FAQ

Rain: questions and answers

How popular is the name Rain in the UK right now?

In 2024, Rain was ranked #1491 for girls in England and Wales, with 21 births registered.

When was Rain most popular?

The peak year on record was 2024, with 21 babies registered as Rain in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Rain?

A gender-neutral name of English origin signifying precipitation from the sky.

How many people are called Rain in the UK?

A total of 174 babies have been registered as Rain across the 22 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 5 more in Scotland.

Where is Rain most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Rain ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #540 in 2023. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.