Fun Facts About the Name Sorayah
- 272 babies named Sorayah: U.S. records list 272 babies given the name Sorayah from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Sorayah Mean?
Sorayah is a spelling variant of Soraya, a female name used in Persian, Arabic, Turkish, and Spanish-speaking regions. It comes from the Arabic al-Thurayya (الثريا), the name of the Pleiades, the bright star cluster in the constellation Taurus. The literal sense of the name is therefore "the Pleiades," which is usually glossed as "star cluster."
The inner derivation of the Arabic word is debated. The explanation most often cited treats Thurayya as a diminutive related to tharwa, "wealth" or "abundance," evoking the dense multitude of stars in the cluster. Other traditional readings link it to different roots, so the exact etymology is not settled; what is agreed is that the astronomical reference, not a personal quality, is the base meaning.
Sorayah Name History & Origins
Soraya is the form the name took in Persian and Ottoman Turkish from Arabic al-Thurayya. The initial article al- was dropped and the sounds adjusted, producing Soraya; the same name entered Spanish as Soraya and Portuguese as Soraia. The raw Arabic form, Thurayya, remains a given name in the Arabic-speaking world.
The name became widely familiar in the twentieth century through Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary (1932 - 2001), who became Queen Soraya of Iran on her marriage to Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in 1951. Her public role and the couple's divorce in 1958 kept the name in the press far beyond Iran.
Sorayah is an English spelling of the same name, adding a final -h of the kind used in English renderings of names that end in an unstressed vowel (compare Sara and Sarah). It carries the same pronunciation and meaning as Soraya and does not have a separate origin.
How Popular is the Name Sorayah?
Sorayah 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 2025. Its best rank was #5,084 in 2025.
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 | #5,084 | 26 | 0.0016% |
| 2024 | #8,335 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2023 | #8,905 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2022 | #6,677 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 2021 | #6,652 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 2020 | #13,296 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2019 | #6,667 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 2018 | #9,085 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2017 | #7,398 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2016 | #8,341 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2015 | #11,718 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2014 | #10,064 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2013 | #10,164 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2012 | #9,648 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2011 | #6,530 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2010 | #16,718 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2008 | #11,495 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2007 | #13,779 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2006 | #12,299 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2005 | #16,181 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2004 | #15,842 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2003 | #18,053 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1998 | #16,274 | 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 Sorayah Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are spiritually intense and can sting or charm. Your name brings love and new starts into life and attracts money. In business, you are the creator and promoter of original ideas and usually enjoy considerable financial success. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.
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.
✦ Sorayah's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Sorayah's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.