Raleigh
Boy name · #2209 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Raleigh? In official American birth records, Raleigh has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Raleigh ranks #2209 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 64 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1870, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 28,125 boys born in 2025 was named Raleigh.
Babies named Raleigh per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Raleigh first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 14 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1921, when 139 boys were named Raleigh — good for #528 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 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 Roscoe, Charley, Clement, Lemuel, and Hershel.
RoscoeCharleyClementLemuelHershelMervinMahlonRupert
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Raleigh | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 64 | #2207 |
| 2024 | 63 | #2261 |
| 2023 | 70 | #2097 |
| 2022 | 65 | #2217 |
| 2021 | 63 | #2225 |
| 2020 | 82 | #1815 |
| 2019 | 99 | #1642 |
| 2018 | 93 | #1687 |
| 2017 | 79 | #1861 |
| 2016 | 89 | #1739 |
| 2015 | 78 | #1870 |
| 2014 | 113 | #1447 |
| 2013 | 75 | #1878 |
| 2012 | 81 | #1818 |
| 2011 | 88 | #1687 |
| 2010 | 84 | #1768 |
| 2009 | 50 | #2528 |
| 2008 | 65 | #2104 |
| 2007 | 58 | #2257 |
| 2006 | 53 | #2348 |
| 2005 | 59 | #2081 |
| 2004 | 59 | #2024 |
| 2003 | 56 | #2031 |
| 2002 | 64 | #1792 |
| 2001 | 32 | #2864 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Raleigh?
In official American birth records, the name Raleigh first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 14 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Raleigh a popular boy name?
Raleigh ranked #2209 among boys in 2025 with 64 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1870.
When was the name Raleigh most popular?
Raleigh peaked in 1921, when 139 American boys received the name (ranked #528 that year). Since 1921 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Raleigh?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 28,125 newborn American boys 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.