Raisa

♀ Girl

Pronounced rah-EE-sah /rɑˈi.sɑ/Medium

Meaning: From Arabic ra'isa, 'a leader, chief, president (fem.)'; also a Yiddish 'rose', and a Slavic 'easygoing/paradise'; routes layeredLow

In 30 seconds: A leader and a rose: Raisa is Arabic for 'a chief, leader' — Yiddish for 'rose' — and Slavic 'easygoing'. Strong, lovely, and worldly.

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Origin MediumArabic, Yiddish

MeaningFrom Arabic ra'isa, 'a leader, chief, president (fem.)'; also a Yiddish 'rose', and a Slavic 'easygoing/paradise'; routes layered

U.S. rank (2025)#4639 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births30 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1988

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,321

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Raisa draws on Arabic ra'isa, 'a leader, chief, president' (feminine), the Yiddish 'rose', and a Slavic name linked to 'easygoing' or 'paradise' (routes layered, which we note). A strong, lovely name across the Arab, Jewish, and Slavic worlds (Raisa Gorbacheva).

In the U.S. it appears across communities. Rare, a-leader-or-rose at the root, and worldly.

Did you know? Raisa means 'a leader, chief' in Arabic — 'rose' in Yiddish — and 'easygoing/paradise' in Slavic (Raisa Gorbacheva); a strong, worldly, lovely name.

Overall data confidence 68%

References — Raisa — routes layered

Variations

RaissaRayisaRaysa

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

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If you like Raisa…

Laila— a companion lyrical name

Mira— another short worldly name

Sana— a fellow cross-cultural name

Rumaisa— shares Raisa's Arabic roots

Rumaysa— a similarly popular pick

Explore names like Raisa

By themeuncertain arabic slavic yiddish

By meaningFlower Rose Leader

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Raisa mean?

Raisa is Arabic for 'a leader, chief', Yiddish for 'rose', and Slavic for 'easygoing'; the routes are layered.

How do you pronounce Raisa?

It's said rah-EE-sah /rɑˈi.sɑ/ — three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Raisa a boy or girl name?

Raisa is a girl's name.

How popular is Raisa?

Raisa is a rare name in the U.S.