Raleigh
Girl name · #1882 in 2025 · Uniqueness 77/100
Raleigh ranks #1882 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 104 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1470, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 17,308 girls born in 2025 was named Raleigh.
The 102-year story
Raleigh first appears in the Social Security records in 1923, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2016, when 170 girls were named Raleigh — good for #1380 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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.
Babies named Raleigh per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Raleigh against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Raleigh in class?
Raleigh scores 77 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Raleigh will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Raleigh is most common
Geography matters for names, and Raleigh is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Raleighs were GA (9), FL (7), LA (6), SC (6), AL (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Raleigh
Statistically, parents drawn to Raleigh tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Raeleigh, Rayleigh, Harleigh, Bryleigh, and Presleigh.
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Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Raleigh | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 104 | #1880 |
| 2024 | 104 | #1913 |
| 2023 | 126 | #1645 |
| 2022 | 119 | #1742 |
| 2021 | 136 | #1544 |
| 2020 | 147 | #1459 |
| 2019 | 161 | #1392 |
| 2018 | 149 | #1474 |
| 2017 | 157 | #1441 |
| 2016 | 170 | #1380 |
| 2015 | 156 | #1470 |
| 2014 | 122 | #1714 |
| 2013 | 119 | #1737 |
| 2012 | 108 | #1859 |
| 2011 | 99 | #1982 |
| 2010 | 105 | #1913 |
| 2009 | 94 | #2139 |
| 2008 | 86 | #2267 |
| 2007 | 92 | #2163 |
| 2006 | 47 | #3414 |
| 2005 | 48 | #3212 |
| 2004 | 47 | #3224 |
| 2003 | 39 | #3590 |
| 2002 | 28 | #4381 |
| 2001 | 25 | #4688 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Raleigh a popular girl name?
Raleigh ranked #1882 among girls in 2025 with 104 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1470.
When was the name Raleigh most popular?
Raleigh peaked in 2016, when 170 American girls received the name (ranked #1380 that year). Since 2016 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Raleigh?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 17,308 newborn American girls was named Raleigh. It scores 77/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.