Rae
A short form of Rachel, Hebrew for 'ewe'. It also stands alone, and appears as a Scottish surname that began as a nickname from the roe deer.
Rae in 2025
Rae was given to 176 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 2,416th most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 18,837 babies born.
The history of Rae
Rae reached its highest point in 1956, when 412 babies were given the name, ranking 805th that year. Its best-ever ranking was 486th, in 1895.
Across the 146 years of records since 1880, 24,420 babies have been named Rae. Half of them were born before 1954, which places the name's centre of gravity with the Baby Boomers.
Rae by decade
| Decade | Babies named Rae | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 262 | 590 |
| 1890s | 698 | 486 |
| 1900s | 699 | 569 |
| 1910s | 1,852 | 625 |
| 1920s | 2,068 | 822 |
| 1930s | 2,224 | 696 |
| 1940s | 2,777 | 775 |
| 1950s | 3,562 | 801 |
| 1960s | 2,959 | 921 |
| 1970s | 1,874 | 1,074 |
| 1980s | 1,274 | 1,606 |
| 1990s | 966 | 2,202 |
| 2000s | 648 | 3,704 |
| 2010s | 1,278 | 2,020 |
| 2020s | 1,279 | 1,924 |
Where Rae is heading
Rae has risen 83% over the past decade, from 96 babies in 2015 to 176 in 2025.
Names like Rae
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Rae.