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Home › Baby Names Directory › Rayleigh

Rayleigh

♀ Girl

Pronounced RAY-lee /ˈreɪ.liː/Low

Meaning: Roe clearing or meadow; from Rayleigh in EssexLow

In 30 seconds: Rayleigh is an English place name turned surname turned given name, meaning roe clearing from Old English, from a town in Essex. As a girl's name it offers the beloved -leigh ending with an unusual Ray- opening.
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Origin LowEnglish
MeaningRoe clearing or meadow; from Rayleigh in Essex
U.S. rank (2025)#1451 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births149 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2018
Total births (all-time)≈ 2,999

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201819952025

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

Rayleigh derives from the Old English place name meaning roe clearing or meadow, from a town in Essex, England. The Victorian physicist John William Strutt, 3rd Baron Rayleigh, made the surname famous in science. As a given name it follows the -leigh suffix trend.

Rayleigh as a given name is part of the larger family of -leigh suffix names popular for girls in the United States. The Ray- opening gives it a sunny, bright quality while the -leigh ending firmly places it in this naming tradition.

Did you know? Lord Rayleigh (1842-1919), Nobel Prize winner in Physics, bears this surname. He discovered the noble gas argon and explained why the sky is blue — known as Rayleigh scattering — giving the name unexpected scientific brilliance.
Overall data confidence 90%
Behind the Name: Rayleigh

Variations

RaleighRayleeRayleahRayleigh

Nicknames

RayLee

Famous Bearers

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If you like Rayleigh…

Paisleigh— Same -leigh suffix and similar two-syllable construction
Hadleigh— -leigh suffix name of same family
Kinleigh— Same -leigh suffix naming family
Raleigh— another English name
Renleigh— shares Rayleigh's English roots

Explore names like Rayleigh

By themeenglishsurname-nametwo-syllableplace-name
By meaningEarth / Nature

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Frequently Asked

What does Rayleigh mean?

Rayleigh means roe clearing from the Old English place name for a town in Essex, England.

Who was Lord Rayleigh?

Lord Rayleigh was a Victorian physicist who discovered argon and explained why the sky is blue (Rayleigh scattering), winning the Nobel Prize in 1904.

How do you pronounce Rayleigh?

Rayleigh is pronounced RAY-lee with two syllables.

What names are similar to Rayleigh?

Similar -leigh names include Paisleigh, Hadleigh, and Cayleigh.

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