Fun Facts About the Name Rigel
- 642 babies named Rigel: U.S. records list 642 babies given the name Rigel from 1880 through 2025. Even 10 girls received the name Rigel - about 1 girl for every 63 boys.
What Does the Name Rigel Mean?
Rigel is a star name that came into English from Arabic. It derives from the phrase Rijl Jauzah al-Yusrā, also written Rijl al-Jauzā, commonly translated as "the left foot of the Jauzah." The central word is Arabic rijl, meaning "foot." The Jauzah is the Arabic name for the constellation known in the West as Orion, so the phrase identifies the bright star marking one of that figure's feet. A related Arabic form, Rijl al-Jabbār, uses al-jabbār, "the giant," another Arabic name for Orion. The literal sense of Rigel is therefore simply "foot"; "the giant's foot" or "Orion's foot" is a customary expansion of that sense rather than a separate meaning.
Rigel Name History & Origins
The word behind Rigel is Arabic, but the name reached English chiefly through astronomy. European astronomers of the Middle Ages inherited many star names from Arabic-language astronomical works, which had themselves preserved and translated star descriptions from Ptolemy's catalog. In those descriptions the star now called Rigel was identified as the bright star at the foot of Orion, and Arabic writers named it Rijl Jauzah al-Yusrā. Latin translations and star tables of the later Middle Ages carried the name into European use, where it was shortened to Rigel. The star is Beta Orionis, the brightest in the constellation Orion.
The same Arabic word for "foot" stands behind other star names, such as Rigil Kentaurus (Alpha Centauri), from Rijl Qanṭūris, "the foot of the Centaur." The resemblance is a shared etymology rather than coincidence, though the two names point to different figures in the sky.
As a personal name, Rigel is a modern borrowing from the star rather than an inherited given name, and it is used mainly in English-speaking countries alongside other star-derived names. In science fiction the name often labels a star or star system; the television series Star Trek, for instance, refers to Rigel and to Rigelians in several episodes.
How Popular is the Name Rigel?
Rigel 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 2016. Its best rank was #3,349 in 2016.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | #18,562 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1980 | #11,700 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #5,158 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2024 | #6,095 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2023 | #4,710 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 2022 | #4,982 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2021 | #4,461 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 2020 | #5,408 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2019 | #4,609 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 2018 | #3,356 | 34 | 0.0019% |
| 2017 | #4,080 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 2016 | #3,349 | 34 | 0.0018% |
| 2015 | #3,966 | 27 | 0.0014% |
| 2014 | #4,502 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 2013 | #6,537 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2012 | #7,439 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2011 | #5,887 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2010 | #8,012 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2009 | #5,497 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2008 | #6,001 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 2007 | #5,627 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2006 | #6,818 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2005 | #7,011 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2004 | #8,037 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2003 | #5,815 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2002 | #6,430 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2001 | #6,830 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2000 | #5,257 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1999 | #6,408 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1998 | #6,725 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #6,002 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1996 | #6,381 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1995 | #6,310 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1994 | #5,051 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1993 | #5,691 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1992 | #8,244 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #5,840 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1990 | #7,012 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1988 | #7,066 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1987 | #5,967 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1985 | #6,363 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1984 | #7,092 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1983 | #4,828 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1982 | #4,177 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1981 | #4,088 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1980 | #4,069 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1979 | #4,759 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1977 | #5,006 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1976 | #5,467 | 6 | 0.0004% |
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 Rigel 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 intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
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.
✦ Rigel's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Rigel's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.