Soraya

A familiar Persian name with steady appeal.

Girl's namePersianRising fast Also a pet name
#913 237in 2024

Meaning & Origin

A female given name from Persian.

Soraya is a girl's baby name of Persian origin, from the Persian word for the Pleiades star cluster, meaning "star cluster" or simply connected to the brilliance of those seven bright stars. It carries an ethereal, celestial beauty.

Princess Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary, the second wife of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi of Iran, gave the name worldwide recognition in the 1950s with her famous green eyes and striking elegance. The name has a rare, aristocratic quality that resonates across multiple cultures.

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Popularity Over Time

Soraya climbed 522 spots in the last 20 years — from #1435 to #913.

0731452182901960198020002024

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Soraya
DecadeBirthsTrend
2020s1,202
2010s1,963
2000s1,580
1990s629
1980s422
1970s313
1960s326
1950s61

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(69 years, 19552024)
Year-by-year popularity data for the name Soraya
YearBirthsRank
2024290#913
2023212#1150
2022242#1054
2021262#990
2020196#1185
2019215#1129
2018187#1247
2017177#1320
2016197#1240
2015201#1233
2014180#1318
2013192#1246
2012198#1230
2011219#1121
2010197#1228
2009170#1397
2008190#1312
2007237#1099
2006236#1079
2005172#1299

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.

Soraya has two lives

Soraya, the baby name
#913girls
6,496 babies
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Soraya, the pet name
#33805pet name
1 pets
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Last updated May 2026 · Data: U.S. Social Security Administration (19552024) · Methodology