Rai
Boy name · #3813 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Rai? In official American birth records, Rai has been tracked continuously since 1993, giving it 32 years of documented American history.
Rai is currently the #3813 boy name in the United States — 29 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #8040, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 62,069 boys born in 2025 was named Rai.
Babies named Rai per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 32-year story
Rai first appears in the Social Security records in 1993, when 8 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2023, with 36 babies and a rank of #3293. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Rai against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Rai in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Rai is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Rai will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Rai is most common
State-level data for Rai is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Rai
Statistically, parents drawn to Rai tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Roi, Rei, Kanai, Cai, and Obi.
RoiReiKanaiCaiObiDakaiRamariKoi
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Rai | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 29 | #3757 |
| 2024 | 28 | #3896 |
| 2023 | 36 | #3293 |
| 2022 | 29 | #3774 |
| 2021 | 18 | #5110 |
| 2020 | 15 | #5699 |
| 2019 | 16 | #5555 |
| 2018 | 12 | #6703 |
| 2017 | 13 | #6338 |
| 2016 | 21 | #4624 |
| 2015 | 9 | #8040 |
| 2014 | 11 | #7048 |
| 2013 | 10 | #7537 |
| 2012 | 11 | #7050 |
| 2011 | 11 | #7009 |
| 2010 | 11 | #7087 |
| 2009 | 11 | #7236 |
| 2008 | 9 | #8324 |
| 2007 | 10 | #7590 |
| 2006 | 5 | #12055 |
| 2005 | 16 | #5034 |
| 2003 | 10 | #6715 |
| 2000 | 7 | #8209 |
| 1998 | 7 | #7560 |
| 1995 | 9 | #5928 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Rai?
In official American birth records, the name Rai first appeared in 1993 (over 32 years ago), when 8 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 32 years.
Is Rai a popular boy name?
Rai ranked #3813 among boys in 2025 with 29 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #8040.
When was the name Rai most popular?
Rai peaked in 2023, when 36 American boys received the name (ranked #3293 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Rai?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 62,069 newborn American boys was named Rai. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.