Rai
About Rai
Rai is a multicultural masculine name with diverse origins across several languages. In Japanese, it means 'thunder' or 'trust,' while in Hindi it can mean 'king' or 'chief.' The name also appears in Hebrew as a short form of Raizel, meaning 'rose,' though this usage is typically feminine. In Western contexts, Rai sometimes serves as a shortened form of Raymond or as a modern, minimalist name choice. Its single-syllable simplicity gives it a contemporary feel while its cross-cultural presence offers global appeal. Rai has maintained modest usage without becoming common, making it attractive to parents seeking a brief, distinctive name with international versatility and positive connotations of strength and leadership.
Pronounced RAH-ee.
As of October 2026, Rai ranked #3826 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #3327 in 2023.
AI-written. Reviewed by Sophie Kihm
Sources: US popularity data is from the Social Security Administration. Meanings and origins are from Nameberry's name references.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | #4,735 | 21 | 11.1 |
| 2017 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | #3,846 | 29 | 16.6 |
| 2023 | #3,327 | 36 | 21 |
| 2024 | #3,949 | 28 | 16.3 |
| 2025 | #3,826 | 29 | 17 |
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Rai.
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- Agu
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- Apollon
- Tendai
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- Reyne
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Rai on lists
Rai in pop culture
- Pronounced Rye
not Ray