Fun Facts About the Name Rayhan
- 930 babies named Rayhan: U.S. records list 930 babies given the name Rayhan from 1880 through 2025. Even 80 girls received the name Rayhan - about 1 girl for every 11 boys.
What Does the Name Rayhan Mean?
Rayhan is an Arabic name, taken from the word rayḥān (ريحان), meaning "fragrant plant." In Arabic it is the everyday word for sweet basil, and it can also refer more broadly to fragrant herbs and plants. The word comes from the Arabic root r-w-ḥ, which carries ideas of breath, wind, and scent; from the same root come rīḥ (wind) and rūḥ (spirit, soul), since scent is thought of as something carried on the air.
The name is written in English in several ways, including Rayhan, Raihan, Rehan, and Reyhan. The Turkish name Reyhan, usually given to girls, comes from the same Arabic word, and in Persian reyhān is the ordinary word for basil. Rayhan should not be confused with the similar-sounding Arabic name Rayyan, which is a separate name with its own origin and is traditionally connected with a gate of Paradise.
Rayhan Name History & Origins
The word rayḥān appears in the Quran, which is the main reason it entered use as a personal name. In Surah Ar-Rahman (55:12), it is listed among the things God provides: "and grain with husks and fragrant plants." In Surah Al-Waqi'ah (56:89), it appears in the phrase rendered "comfort and rayḥān and a garden of bliss," describing the reward of the righteous. Commentators differ on that second passage: some read rayḥān there as fragrant plants, while others take it in the sense of provision or sustenance. The word's use in the Quran gave it a favorable religious association, which helped it spread as a given name.
Because the name comes from Arabic, its earliest use as a personal name belongs to Arabic-speaking Muslim communities, and it spread with the adoption of Arabic naming customs in other Muslim societies. It is found across the Arab world and among Muslim populations in Turkey, Iran, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. The Turkish form Reyhan is typically female, while the Arabic and South Asian forms Rayhan and Rehan are generally male. Over time the name has been written in many transliterated spellings, reflecting the different alphabets and languages it passed through.
How Popular is the Name Rayhan?
Rayhan 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 2011. Its best rank was #2,224 in 2011.
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 | #8,241 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2024 | #13,116 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2023 | #7,963 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 2022 | #7,558 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2021 | #9,417 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 2020 | #16,989 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2019 | #17,433 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2017 | #17,881 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #18,271 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #5,347 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 2024 | #4,034 | 27 | 0.0016% |
| 2023 | #3,328 | 36 | 0.0021% |
| 2022 | #4,062 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 2021 | #4,338 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 2020 | #4,990 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2019 | #4,204 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 2018 | #3,769 | 29 | 0.0016% |
| 2017 | #4,204 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 2016 | #3,503 | 32 | 0.0017% |
| 2015 | #3,663 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 2014 | #3,983 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 2013 | #2,591 | 47 | 0.0025% |
| 2012 | #3,345 | 33 | 0.0017% |
| 2011 | #2,224 | 59 | 0.0031% |
| 2010 | #2,461 | 51 | 0.0027% |
| 2009 | #2,579 | 49 | 0.0025% |
| 2008 | #2,818 | 43 | 0.0021% |
| 2007 | #2,273 | 58 | 0.0028% |
| 2006 | #3,589 | 29 | 0.0014% |
| 2005 | #3,221 | 32 | 0.0016% |
| 2004 | #3,831 | 24 | 0.0012% |
| 2003 | #4,237 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 2002 | #5,652 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2001 | #4,084 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 2000 | #4,174 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1999 | #6,401 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1998 | #5,393 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1997 | #7,126 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1995 | #9,979 | 5 | 0.0003% |
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.
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How the Name Rayhan 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.
Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.
✦ Rayhan's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Rayhan's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.