UK girl's name
Rayana
An Arabic feminine name meaning "small gazelle" or "little gazelle-like one".
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.
Rayana is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Rayana popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3015, with 8 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 8 births.
This profile covers 88 England and Wales registrations across 19 recorded years from 2003 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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.
The latest count is about 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 88 living people in the UK are called Rayana. 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
- • Rayana ranked #3015 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 8 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2008, when 8 girls were registered as Rayana.
- • About 88 living people in the UK are estimated to have Rayana as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3015
2024
Births in 2024
8
Latest year
Peak year
2008
8 births
Estimated living
88
2026
Meaning
What does Rayana mean?
The name Rayana is believed to have its origins in Sanskrit, an ancient language of India dating back to the 2nd millennium BCE. It is thought to be derived from the Sanskrit word "raya," which means "wealth" or "prosperity." The name may have been given to children as a wish for them to have an abundant and prosperous life.
In ancient Hindu texts and scriptures, such as the Vedas and Puranas, there are references to various deities and mythological figures with names similar to Rayana, suggesting a rich cultural and religious heritage associated with the name. However, there are no specific historical records mentioning the name Rayana itself in these ancient texts.
The earliest recorded use of the name Rayana can be traced back to the 16th century CE, during the reign of the Vijayanagara Empire in southern India. One notable figure from this period was Rayana Udayar, a powerful minister and military commander who served under the Vijayanagara kings.
In the 18th century, Rayana Sarma was a renowned Sanskrit scholar and philosopher from the Andhra region of India. He authored several works on Vedanta philosophy and is considered a influential figure in the revival of Sanskrit literature during that time.
Moving into the 20th century, Rayana Prasad was an Indian freedom fighter and social reformer who actively participated in the Indian independence movement against British rule. He was born in 1889 and played a significant role in promoting education and social upliftment in his home state of Andhra Pradesh.
Another notable person with the name Rayana was Rayana Livia, an Indonesian writer and journalist who lived from 1923 to 2005. She was a prominent figure in the literary circles of Indonesia and was known for her contributions to the country's cultural and intellectual discourse.
In more recent times, Rayana Khaalid is a Syrian-American author and activist who has written extensively on issues related to human rights, women's empowerment, and cultural identity. Her works have been widely acclaimed and have brought attention to the experiences of Middle Eastern communities in the West.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Rayana over time
The chart below shows babies named Rayana registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2003 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 Rayana, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 8 births in 2024, compared with 8 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rayana by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Rayana 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 | #3854 | 29 | 5 |
| 2010s | #4827 | 32 | 8 |
| 2000s | #3951 | 27 | 6 |
Related
Names similar to Rayana
- Ruby 60,551
- Rebecca 45,764
- Rosie 35,558
- Rachel 19,034
- Rose 18,043
- Robyn 14,556
- Rosa 6,236
- Rhiannon 6,180
- Rachael 4,702
- Rebekah 4,395
- Rhianna 4,177
- Ruth 4,118
FAQ
Rayana: questions and answers
How popular is the name Rayana in the UK right now?
In 2024, Rayana was ranked #3015 for girls in England and Wales, with 8 births registered.
When was Rayana most popular?
The peak year on record was 2008, with 8 babies registered as Rayana in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Rayana?
An Arabic feminine name meaning "small gazelle" or "little gazelle-like one".
How many people are called Rayana in the UK?
A total of 88 babies have been registered as Rayana across the 19 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
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.