Raleigh
Girl name · #1882 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Raleigh? In official American birth records, Raleigh has been tracked continuously since 1923, giving it 102 years of documented American history.
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. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Raleigh against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Raleigh in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Raleigh is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". 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
State-level data for Raleigh 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 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.
RaeleighRayleighHarleighBryleighPresleighAdleighAnnaleighMaeleigh
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
How old is the name Raleigh?
In official American birth records, the name Raleigh first appeared in 1923 (over 102 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 102 years.
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. 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.