Fun Facts About the Name Rain
- More than 4 thousand babies named Rain: U.S. records list 4,802 babies given the name Rain from 1880 through 2025. Of these, 1,188 boys received the name Rain - about 1 boy for every 3 girls.
What Does the Name Rain Mean?
Rain is an English word name, taken straight from the ordinary noun for water falling from clouds. That noun descends from Old English regn (with the variant regen) and from Proto-Germanic *regna-, the same source as Dutch regen, German Regen, and Old Norse regn. The Germanic word is usually connected with Latin rigāre, "to water, to moisten," the root behind English irrigate. The name's meaning is therefore literal - rain, the shower of water itself - rather than a blessing, a trait, or a title.
Because it is simply the common noun, Rain has no older personal-name form behind it and no saint or biblical figure attached to it, so there is no original-language personal name being translated. Spellings such as Raine and Rayne are used for the same word name, but they also exist as English surnames with their own separate explanations, so the spellings should not be treated as one lineage.
Rain Name History & Origins
English has had a word for rain since the Old English period, but turning everyday nouns into given names is a modern habit in the English-speaking world. Rain belongs with the word names - River, Sky, Autumn, Summer - that took hold during the 20th century, when parents began drawing on common vocabulary instead of the older stock of biblical, saintly, and Germanic names. It is given to both boys and girls.
Since the name is chosen for the word rather than inherited, it has no patronymic or dynastic history. The surname Rain is a separate tradition of English surnames, whose origins include medieval personal names and place names as well as vocabulary words, so the surname and the given name should not be assumed to share a single source.
Outside English, Rain is also used as a masculine given name in Estonia, where it belongs to that country's modern name stock rather than to the English word-name tradition. In Korean, the word 비 (bi, "rain") is the stage name of the singer Jung Ji-hoon, who performs internationally as Rain - a Korean-language stage name, not an extension of the English given name.
How Popular is the Name Rain?
Rain has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2023. Its best rank was #1,219 in 2023.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,239 | 182 | 0.0113% |
| 2024 | #1,394 | 161 | 0.0100% |
| 2023 | #1,219 | 195 | 0.0122% |
| 2022 | #1,398 | 164 | 0.0100% |
| 2021 | #1,436 | 150 | 0.0091% |
| 2020 | #1,299 | 170 | 0.0105% |
| 2019 | #1,498 | 146 | 0.0087% |
| 2018 | #1,574 | 138 | 0.0081% |
| 2017 | #2,139 | 90 | 0.0052% |
| 2016 | #2,065 | 96 | 0.0054% |
| 2015 | #2,073 | 95 | 0.0053% |
| 2014 | #1,951 | 103 | 0.0058% |
| 2013 | #1,562 | 139 | 0.0079% |
| 2012 | #1,727 | 120 | 0.0068% |
| 2011 | #1,851 | 109 | 0.0062% |
| 2010 | #1,935 | 104 | 0.0059% |
| 2009 | #1,887 | 112 | 0.0061% |
| 2008 | #1,922 | 110 | 0.0058% |
| 2007 | #1,720 | 127 | 0.0066% |
| 2006 | #1,974 | 102 | 0.0054% |
| 2005 | #2,135 | 87 | 0.0047% |
| 2004 | #2,322 | 75 | 0.0041% |
| 2003 | #1,559 | 124 | 0.0068% |
| 2002 | #1,910 | 93 | 0.0052% |
| 2001 | #2,071 | 81 | 0.0045% |
| 2000 | #2,564 | 59 | 0.0032% |
| 1999 | #2,666 | 53 | 0.0030% |
| 1998 | #2,486 | 56 | 0.0032% |
| 1997 | #2,863 | 43 | 0.0025% |
| 1996 | #2,704 | 46 | 0.0026% |
| 1995 | #2,720 | 45 | 0.0026% |
| 1994 | #3,358 | 34 | 0.0019% |
| 1993 | #5,141 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1992 | #6,562 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1991 | #6,884 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1990 | #7,186 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1989 | #10,548 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1985 | #10,293 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1983 | #11,532 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1981 | #10,032 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1979 | #4,786 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1978 | #6,266 | 10 | 0.0007% |
| 1976 | #8,916 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1975 | #4,300 | 15 | 0.0010% |
| 1974 | #9,798 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1973 | #5,929 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1972 | #3,500 | 18 | 0.0012% |
| 1971 | #3,901 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 1970 | #4,990 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1969 | #6,425 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1962 | #6,395 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1956 | #6,672 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,751 | 93 | 0.0054% |
| 2024 | #1,667 | 101 | 0.0059% |
| 2023 | #2,169 | 67 | 0.0039% |
| 2022 | #1,847 | 87 | 0.0050% |
| 2021 | #2,316 | 60 | 0.0034% |
| 2020 | #2,387 | 56 | 0.0032% |
| 2019 | #3,323 | 35 | 0.0020% |
| 2018 | #2,928 | 41 | 0.0023% |
| 2017 | #2,705 | 46 | 0.0025% |
| 2016 | #3,500 | 32 | 0.0017% |
| 2015 | #3,346 | 34 | 0.0018% |
| 2014 | #3,199 | 35 | 0.0018% |
| 2013 | #4,430 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 2012 | #3,045 | 38 | 0.0020% |
| 2011 | #3,289 | 34 | 0.0018% |
| 2010 | #3,692 | 29 | 0.0015% |
| 2009 | #3,258 | 35 | 0.0018% |
| 2008 | #3,205 | 36 | 0.0018% |
| 2007 | #3,070 | 38 | 0.0018% |
| 2006 | #4,076 | 24 | 0.0012% |
| 2005 | #6,524 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2004 | #6,426 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2003 | #4,764 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2002 | #3,747 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 2001 | #5,078 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2000 | #3,880 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 1999 | #4,117 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 1998 | #3,969 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 1997 | #3,326 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1996 | #3,373 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 1995 | #5,045 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1994 | #5,781 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1993 | #7,425 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1992 | #7,216 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1991 | #9,272 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1990 | #4,610 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1988 | #8,218 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1971 | #3,876 | 8 | 0.0005% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore More Lists with Name Rain
Most Popular Girl Names That Start with R
Short Girl Names That Start with R
How the Name Rain Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are a law unto itself. Your tendency is to finish whatever you start. You are tolerant and like to help humanity. You are very active. You are generally warmhearted and gives freely of your time, energy, and sympathetic understanding. You have tolerance and acceptance of the frailties of others. Universal and humanitarian in outlook. This is very compassionate name. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Rain's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Rain's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.