Unisex name · since 1989
Rayel
Since 1989, U.S. Social Security records show 74 babies named Rayel, peaking in 1993. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #30,536 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 74
- born since 1989
- 1990s
- peak decade
74 girls have been named Rayel since 1989, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Rayel has been recorded 74 times among girls since 1989, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1990s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1989 to 2024.
- #30,536 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 74 born since 1989
- 1990s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Rayel ranks #30,536 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 74 born since 1989, peaking in the 1990s.
- #30,536 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 74
- born since 1989
- 1990s
- peak decade
Rayel's 74 recorded births place it above 57.72% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.
Rayel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Rayel's SSA record in two at 1999 and the more recent half accounts for 51% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 49%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1989, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1993 peak of 11, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Rayel popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1989–2024
- Peak year (1993)
- 11
- Annual births at peak, across 36 years of records
Rayel popularity over time - boys
6 total births recorded since 2014 (Rayel as boys' name)
Rayel by decade
1990s is the heaviest window (37 births, 50% of the file).
1990s was Rayel's strongest decade.
37 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 50% of all-time use.
Rayel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s 5
1980s
5 births
- 1990s
1990s
37 births
- 2010s
2010s
20 births
- 2020s 12
2020s
12 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 37 births (50% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Rayel? ▼
Where does Rayel sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Rayel most popular? ▼
Is Rayel a unisex name? ▼
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What to do with Rayel's data
- Rayel's decade-level peak was the 1990s (37 total births); usage has since declined to 12 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Rayel
Nearby Names Like Rayel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Rayel
Compare Rayel side by side: Rayel vs Rayna Rayel vs Rayne Rayel vs Raya
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Rayel: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1993)
Similar record span (~35 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1989–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Rayel draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.