Rayleigh
Gender: Mostly Girl
Meaning: Courageous, valiant, rye clearing
Origin: Irish/English (variant)
Popularity: Ranked #1451 in 2025 with 149 babies born.
History: Rayleigh surged in the 2020s as a creative compound of Ray + Leigh. The physics term 'Rayleigh scattering' explains why the sky is blue — making it secretly scientific. Rayleigh means light, science, and Southern charm.
Similar names: raleigh, ryleigh, raeleigh, raileigh, rhyleigh, rynleigh, rynnleigh, rosaleigh
Name length: 8 letters
How common is Rayleigh? About 1 in 20,173 babies born in 2025 were named Rayleigh, or roughly 0.5 per day in the United States.
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Frequently asked about Rayleigh
What does the name Rayleigh mean?
Rayleigh means “Courageous, valiant, rye clearing” from Irish/English (variant) roots.
What is the origin of the name Rayleigh?
Rayleigh has Irish/English (variant) origin. The traditional meaning is “Courageous, valiant, rye clearing”.
How popular is Rayleigh?
Rayleigh ranked #1443 in 2025 — given to 149 babies that year.
When was Rayleigh most popular?
Rayleigh peaked in 2018 with 189 babies registered that year.
Is Rayleigh a boy or girl name?
Rayleigh is predominantly a girls' name — over 90% of Rayleighs in registered births are female.
Is the name Rayleigh rising or falling in popularity?
Rayleigh has fallen 173 spots in the rankings over the last 5 years — from #1270 in 2020 to #1443 in 2025.
How long has Rayleigh been recorded?
Rayleigh appears in birth records across 31 years — from 1995 through 2025.