Soraya
Girl name · #867 in 2025 · Uniqueness 42/100
In 2025, 313 baby girls were named Soraya, placing it at #867 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1227, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 5,751 girls born in 2025 was named Soraya.
Babies named Soraya per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 70-year story
Soraya first appears in the Social Security records in 1955, when 6 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 313 babies and a rank of #862. 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 Soraya against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Soraya in class?
Soraya scores 42 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Soraya is most common
Geography matters for names, and Soraya is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Sorayas were CA (45), TX (31), FL (25), NY (25), MI (13). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Soraya
Statistically, parents drawn to Soraya tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Chaya, Malaya, Aya, Naya, and Inaya.
ChayaMalayaAyaNayaInayaSamiraAnayaSiya
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Soraya | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 313 | #862 |
| 2024 | 292 | #908 |
| 2023 | 212 | #1148 |
| 2022 | 242 | #1052 |
| 2021 | 262 | #987 |
| 2020 | 196 | #1183 |
| 2019 | 215 | #1125 |
| 2018 | 187 | #1243 |
| 2017 | 177 | #1317 |
| 2016 | 197 | #1236 |
| 2015 | 201 | #1227 |
| 2014 | 180 | #1314 |
| 2013 | 192 | #1242 |
| 2012 | 198 | #1227 |
| 2011 | 219 | #1120 |
| 2010 | 197 | #1223 |
| 2009 | 170 | #1392 |
| 2008 | 190 | #1309 |
| 2007 | 237 | #1095 |
| 2006 | 236 | #1077 |
| 2005 | 172 | #1297 |
| 2004 | 144 | #1431 |
| 2003 | 135 | #1454 |
| 2002 | 104 | #1744 |
| 2001 | 100 | #1777 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Soraya a popular girl name?
Soraya ranked #867 among girls in 2025 with 313 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1227.
When was the name Soraya most popular?
Soraya peaked in 2025, when 313 American girls received the name (ranked #862 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Soraya?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 5,751 newborn American girls was named Soraya. It scores 42/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
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.