Declining since 2022, #11,932 for girls today.
Popularity of Rhaya since 2004
Babies named Rhaya per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2014, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Rhaya's real moment was 2023.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 2000s | 31 |
| 2010s | 72 |
| 2020s | 53 |
Meaning & origin
Rhaya is a modern name that first appeared in U.S. birth records in 2004, reflecting a trend of creative respellings and sound-based coinages. Its usage has been modest, with a peak in 2023, after which it has seen a slight decline. The name is extremely rare, with only about 1 in every 229,610 girls named Rhaya in 2025. While its exact meaning is uncertain, it is likely derived from Raya, a name with Hebrew and Spanish roots, or formed by analogy with popular names like Maya and Shaya. Given its recent emergence and low frequency, Rhaya appeals to parents seeking a distinctive, modern-sounding name for a daughter.
Rhaya is a modern coinage that appears to be a contemporary respelling of Raya, itself a Hebrew name meaning 'friend' or a Spanish name meaning 'queen'. It may also have been influenced by similar-sounding names like Maya and Shaya. The name first appeared in U.S. records in 2004 and has seen modest use, particularly after 2010. Its spelling with an 'h' distinguishes it from the more traditional Raya.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Ray, Rae, Rhay
Variants: Raya
Sibling names for Rhaya
Names that share Rhaya's style, for a brother or sister.
