Declining since 2003, #9,714 for boys today.
Popularity of Raheim since 1971
Babies named Raheim per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 72 |
| 1980s | 124 |
| 1990s | 211 |
| 2000s | 290 |
| 2010s | 121 |
| 2020s | 62 |
Meaning & origin
Raheim is a modern variant spelling of the Arabic name Raheem, which stems from the root meaning 'merciful.' The name was first recorded in the United States in 1971, a time when creative respellings of established names became more common in African American naming traditions. Its popularity peaked in 2003, and it has since been on a gradual decline, with only about 1 in 244,011 boys receiving the name in 2025. Despite its rarity, Raheim maintains a strong phonetic and cultural link to its Arabic origins, and its sound aligns with other popular names like Malik and Jamal that have been embraced across diverse communities.
Raheim is likely a variant spelling of Raheem, which is a common Arabic name derived from the root R-H-M, meaning 'to have mercy.' It is related to the Arabic attribute ar-Raheem, 'the Merciful,' one of the 99 names of God in Islam. The name has been used in African American communities as a creative respelling, with the first recorded usage for the modern spelling in the United States in 1971.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Ray, Rah
Sibling names for Raheim
Names that share Raheim's style, for a brother or sister.
