Rael
Boy name · #2530 in 2025 · Very rare
In 2025, 53 baby boys were named Rael, placing it at #2530 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #9568, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 33,962 boys born in 2025 was named Rael.
Babies named Rael per year. Source: SSA.
The 46-year story
Rael first appears in the Social Security records in 1979, when 8 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2024, with 61 babies and a rank of #2313. 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 Rael against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Rael in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Rael is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Rael will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Rael is most common
State-level data for Rael 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 Rael
Statistically, parents drawn to Rael tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Sael, Dael, Zael, Adael, and Ezrael.
SaelDaelZaelAdaelEzraelEzaelLaelMael
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Rael | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 53 | #2516 |
| 2024 | 61 | #2313 |
| 2023 | 26 | #4112 |
| 2022 | 46 | #2793 |
| 2021 | 26 | #4011 |
| 2020 | 18 | #5041 |
| 2019 | 19 | #4951 |
| 2018 | 22 | #4476 |
| 2017 | 21 | #4594 |
| 2016 | 6 | #10744 |
| 2015 | 7 | #9568 |
| 2014 | 8 | #8781 |
| 2013 | 10 | #7537 |
| 2012 | 6 | #10770 |
| 2011 | 8 | #8767 |
| 2010 | 7 | #9693 |
| 2009 | 9 | #8310 |
| 2008 | 8 | #9019 |
| 2007 | 6 | #10921 |
| 2006 | 13 | #6094 |
| 2005 | 7 | #9115 |
| 2004 | 7 | #8927 |
| 2003 | 10 | #6715 |
| 2001 | 5 | #10556 |
| 2000 | 5 | #10349 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Rael a popular boy name?
Rael ranked #2530 among boys in 2025 with 53 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #9568.
When was the name Rael most popular?
Rael peaked in 2024, when 61 American boys received the name (ranked #2313 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Rael?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 33,962 newborn American boys was named Rael. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very 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.