Total births
74
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.
- #15953
- among girls today
- 74
- born since 1989
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 10%
- more common than other girls
Rayel currently ranks #15953 among unisex names in America, with 74 babies recorded since 1989.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Rayel has been recorded 74 times among girls since 1989, currently ranked #15953 nationally and more common than 10% of girls, 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.
- #15953 among girls today
- 74 born since 1989
- 1990s peak decade
- 10% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Rayel is currently the #15953 unisex name in America, more common than 10% of girls - 74 born since 1989, peaking in the 1990s.
- #15953
- among girls today
- 74
- born since 1989
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 10%
- more common than other girls
Rayel vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#15953
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 10% of names given to girls today.
1990s
Peak decade
50% of everyone ever named Rayel was born in this single decade.
1993
Single peak year
11 babies were named Rayel in 1993 - its busiest year on record.
How Rayel compares
74 20th percentile among 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Rayel's all-time total is 81% below the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Rayel | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 74 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 11 | 48 | 19,840 |
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 at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1993
Current rank
#15,953
Active since
1989
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
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
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? ▼
Since 1989, Social Security records show 74 babies named Rayel. Today it holds rank #15953 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1993, with 11 births.
When was Rayel most popular? ▼
Rayel was most popular in the 1990s decade with 37 total births. The single peak year was 1993.
Is Rayel a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Rayel is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 74 births, and as a boy's name it has 6 births.
How long has the name Rayel been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Rayel since 1989 -- 36 years through the most recent 2024 data.
What names are similar to Rayel? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Rayna, Rayne, Raya, Ray, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
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.
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
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
Rayna Girl
#727 13,386 births
Rayne Girl
#940 8,034 births
Raya Girl
#365 8,003 births
Ray Girl
#4776 5,606 births
Raylee Girl
#1257 5,037 births
Compare Rayel side by side: Rayel vs Rayna Rayel vs Rayne Rayel vs Raya
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Rayel
Data Sources
Data as of June 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).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Rayel: #15953 Unisex Name - 74 Births, Peak 1993." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/rayel. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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 June 2026.