Baby Girl Names That Start With Rae

Girl names that start with R include a range of popular choices, from the biblical classics Rachel and Rebecca to unisex newcomers Rowan and Remi.

Along with top-ranked R name Riley, R names for girls in the US Top 500 include Remi, Ruby, Reagan, Raelynn and Reese.

Other R names for girls rank high on international popularity lists. The stunning Spanish and Portuguese name Rafaela ranks in the Top 50 in Chile and Portugal. The spunky nickname name Romy is in the Top 100 in France and the Netherlands.

R seems to be a favored letter for many gender neutral names which are more popular for girls in the US, including Rory and Ripley, Riley and Royal, River and Rio.

And traditional or vintage R-starting girl names in the US Top 1000 include Rose, Regina, Rosemary, Ruth and Ramona.

Unique R names for girls we recommend include Rosamund, Rowena, and Rue.

View our extensive roster of girl names that start with R. You may also be interested in our lists of Boy Names That Start With R, Unisex Names That Start With R, or our full list of Baby Names That Start With R.

Rose

• Origin:

  Latin

• Meaning:

  "rose, a flower"

• Description:

  Rose is derived from the Latin rosa, which referred to the flower. There is also evidence to suggest it was a Norman variation of the Germanic name Hrodohaidis, meaning "famous type," and also Hros</>, "horse". In Old English it was translated as Roese and Rohese.

Ruby

• Origin:

  Latin

• Meaning:

  "deep red precious stone"

• Description:

  Ruby, vibrant red, sassy and sultry, has definitely outshone the other revived vintage gem names, with its sparkling resume of cultural references.

Rebecca

• Origin:

  Hebrew

• Meaning:

  "to tie, bind"

• Description:

  Rebecca is a name representing beauty in the Bible, an Old Testament classic that reached the heights of revived popularity in the seventies but is still a well-used choice. It derives from the Hebrew name Rivkah, from the verb ribbqah, meaning "noose." The biblical Rebecca was the wife of Isaac and the mother of Esau and Jacob. Rebekah was a common spelling of the name in the Bible.

Rosalie

• Origin:

  French variation of Latin Rosalia

• Meaning:

  "rose"

• Description:

  Rosalie hit its apex in 1938 and then slid straight downhill until it fell off the U.S. Top 1000 completely in the 1980s, only to spring back to life in 2009 as the name of a character in the Twilight series. The beautiful vampire Rosalie Hale has breathed fresh life back into this mid-century name, and the fact that the character is both sympathetic and relatively minor means Rosalie has the chance to thrive again as a baby name without feeling unduly tied to Twilight.

Remi

• Origin:

  French, variation of Remy (a boys name)

• Meaning:

  "oarsman"

• Description:

  Adorable name that's fashionable and keeps gaining momentum. Remi entered the US Top 1000 in 2013 and is now approaching the Top 100. The Remi spelling is more popular for girls, while Remy is more popular for boys, both both spellings are in the Top 1000 for both genders. That's a remarkable success story for a name that, in the late 1900s, was given to only a handful of babies in the US.

Rowan

• Origin:

  Scottish and Irish

• Meaning:

  "rowan tree; little redhead"

• Description:

  Rowan is the name of a tree with red berries that's commonly found in Scotland (and said to ward off witches). Some scholars say this name has been used for girls as well as boys since the Middle Ages, though no Rowans are found outside literature until modern times. It's also a genial Irish surname choice, especially for a redhead – girl or boy.

Riley

• Origin:

  English, Irish

• Meaning:

  "rye clearing; courageous"

• Description:

  Riley originated as both an English and an Irish surname. The former was derived from British place names that got their names from the Old English words for "rye clearing." Irish Riley is a variation of Reilly, a surname taken from the given name Raghailleach.

Rachel

• Origin:

  Hebrew

• Meaning:

  "ewe"

• Description:

  Rachel was derived from the Hebrew word rāchēl, meaning "ewe." In the Old Testament, Rachel was the favorite wife of Jacob, and mother of Joseph and Benjamin. International variations include the Spanish Raquel and Israeli Rahel.

Rhea

• Origin:

  Greek mythology name

• Meaning:

  "a flowing stream"

• Description:

  Old-style creative name of the Greek mythological earth mother of all the gods. A lot better than the Roman equivalent: Ops. Rhea reentered the US Top 1000 in 2015. Its only previous appearance on the list since 1968 was 2004.

Ruth

• Origin:

  Hebrew

• Meaning:

  "compassionate friend"

• Description:

  Ruth, with its air of calm and compassion, was the third most popular name in the 1890s, remaining in the Top 10 through the 1920s. It's still in use today as some parents tiring of Rachel and Rebecca are giving Ruth a second thought. Some see such Old Testament girls' names as Ruth and Esther rising on the heels of boy equivalents Abel and Moses.

Rory

• Origin:

  Irish

• Meaning:

  "red king"

• Description:

  Rory is a buoyant, spirited name for a redhead with Celtic roots. The name Rory is getting more popular overall, but for the past few years has been trending decidedly toward the boys' side -- however, it's been rising to new heights for girls in recent years.

Rosie

• Origin:

  English

• Meaning:

  "rose"

• Description:

  Rosy-cheeked and cheery, Rosie (also spelled Rosy) has been standing on her own for many decades, back to the days of 1943 musical Sweet Rosie O'Grady. She's one of the perky nickname-names that are filling the popularity lists of other English-speaking countries. In the US, she came back to the Top 1000 in 2013, after a 30 year hiatus.

Ramona

• Origin:

  Spanish, feminine variation of Ramon

• Meaning:

  "wise protector"

• Description:

  Ramona is a sweet spot name – neither too trendy nor too eccentric. Kids will associate it with the clever Ramona Quimby character in the series of books by Beverly Cleary, also seen on TV. It was chosen by starcouple Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard for their little girl, who would be joined by sister Gloria.

Rosemary

• Origin:

  Latin or English

• Meaning:

  "dew of the sea, or rosemary (herb)"

• Description:

  Despite appearances, Rosemary is not a "smoosh" name, not even a traditional one. The name derives from two Latin terms "Ros" meaning 'dew' and "Marinus" "meaning "of the sea". The plant was termed 'dew of the sea' due to its salty texture and its ability to thrive in coastal climes. Only after the Middle Ages did the English names of Rose and Mary become interchanged with the name Rosmarinus and give us the modern name we use today.

Raven

• Origin:

  Word and animal name

• Description:

  Bird name Raven, once a symbol of pride for both African-American and Wiccan parents, is finding new life as a superhero name. Raven Darkholme is the real name of Mystique, heroine of the X-Men films played by Jennifer Lawrence. And there is another Raven superheroine in Teen Titans. Some parents may still choose Raven to signal black pride or mystical powers or maybe even Edgar Allan Poe fandom, but we are guessing most inspiration is coming from the comics.

Reese

• Origin:

  Welsh

• Meaning:

  "ardor"

• Description:

  The sassy, steel magnolia appeal of Oscar-winning Reese (born Laura Jeanne—Reese is her mother's maiden name) Witherspoon has single-handedly propelled this formerly boys' name into girls' popularity.

Reign

• Origin:

  Word name

• Description:

  Reign is one of a new, ahem, kingdom of word names that suggest a high-born child, joining Royal, Lorde, Titan, Saint, King, Princess, and Noble. We predicted this kind of defining name to be the Number 1 baby name trend of 2015...two weeks before Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick named their third child, a boy, Reign. Reign is as appropriate for girls as for boys. The female version is often spelled Rain -- or Raine or Rayne -- though that makes is more nature and less royal word name. Reign entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2016.

River

• Origin:

  Nature name

• Description:

  Most of the notable Rivers have been male, but this nature name certainly flows as well for a girl. Kelly Clarkson's choice of River for her newborn daughter further raised the profile of the name for girls.

Rosa

• Origin:

  Latinate variation of Rose

• Meaning:

  "rose, a flower"

• Description:

  As sweet-smelling as Rose but with an international flavour, Rosa is one of the most classic Portuguese, Spanish and Italian names, which is also favored by upper-class Brits, having an ample measure of vintage charm. Rosa has been on the popularity charts for every year that's been counted, especially popular from the 1880s through the beginning of the twentieth century.

Robin

• Origin:

  Bird name, or English, diminutive of Robert

• Meaning:

  "bright fame"

• Description:

  Sounded bright and chirpy in the fifties and ranked in the Top 100 until 1980, but by now Robin has lost much of its lilt. For a girl, consider a sprightlier-sounding bird name: Deryn, Lark, Wren. Robin is, however, having something of a style comeback for boys.

Raya

• Origin:

  Hebrew

• Meaning:

  "friend"

• Description:

  More unusual alternative to Maya.

Rayna

• Origin:

  Hebrew

• Meaning:

  "song of the Lord"

• Description:

  This spelling of the name has ties to Hebrew, Slavic, and Scandinavian cultures, in addition to being another alternative to Reina and Reyna. It is most recently attached to hit television show Nashville's Rayna Jaymes, played by Connie Britton.

Reagan

• Origin:

  Irish

• Meaning:

  "little king"

• Description:

  A strong, straightforward Irish unisex surname, with a merry glint in its eye, Reagan has been leaping up the popularity lists, to become one of the top girl names starting with R. Some will inevitably link it to President Ronald, but spell it Regan and it's a Shakespearean name: a daughter of King Lear.

Remy

• Origin:

  French from Latin

• Meaning:

  "oarsman"

• Description:

  Remy is one of those rare names that combines ancient roots with modern sleekness. Boys outnumber girls with the classic Remy spelling, girls named Remi outnumber those named Remy. With either spelling and for either gender, it's a winning choice.

Raina

• Origin:

  Slavic and German variation of Regina

• Meaning:

  "queen"

• Description:

  Strong and solid, with a touch of foreign intrigue, it's the most popular of the rain-related names, with a variety of pronunciations—RAY-na, rah-EE-na, or RY-na. Alternate spellings Reyna and Rayna currently rank higher in the US.

Reina

• Origin:

  Spanish, Yiddish or Japanese

• Meaning:

  "queen; pure; wise"

• Description:

  An appellation for the Virgin Mary, "Queen of the apostles." After three years off the US popularity charts, Reina rejoined the list in 2014, though it lags behind alternate spellings Raina, Rayna, and Reyna. It is also used in Yiddish and in Japanese.

Renata

• Origin:

  Latin

• Meaning:

  "reborn"

• Description:

  Widely used across Europe as a common baptismal name symbolizing spiritual rebirth, Renata, in this country it has an operatic image via Italian-born divas Renata Tebadi and Renata Scotti.

Ryan

• Origin:

  Irish

• Meaning:

  "little king"

• Description:

  This ultrapopular boys' name is rapidly becoming a hot name for girls; admired for its buoyant Irish spirit.

Rosalia

• Origin:

  Spanish, Latin ceremonial name

• Description:

  A name commonly used in Spain and Italy, it refers back to the annual Roman ceremony of hanging garlands of roses on tombs.

Rosalyn

• Origin:

  Variation of Rosalind

• Description:

  True Blood may be the reason that variation Rosalyn has retained some popularity while the original Rosalind still languishes. Moderately popular in the middle of the last century, Rosalyn may deserve its revival but we still prefer the more classic Rosalind.

Regina

• Origin:

  Latin

• Meaning:

  "queen"

• Description:

  A classic name with regal elegance--Queen Victoria, like other queens, had Regina appended to her name. She was a Top 100 name in the 1960s.

Romina

• Origin:

  Arabic

• Meaning:

  "from the land of the Christians"

• Description:

  This pretty name found in Spanish-speaking countries shares the diminutive of Romy—also spelled Romi—with Rosemary. It joined the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2015.

Remington

• Origin:

  English

• Meaning:

  "place on a riverbank"

• Description:

  Between 1980s-era television private eye Remington Steele and Remington Arms, this name might seem all-boy. But in 2014, Remington entered the US girls' Top 1000, and it's been rising since.

Rivka

• Origin:

  Hebrew

• Meaning:

  "to tie, bind"

• Description:

  A traditional name still used in Orthodox families. Rivka is the original form of Rebekah or Rebecca, today used far more widely than the original. Rifka is a variation.

Rylan

• Origin:

  English and Irish

• Meaning:

  "island meadow"

• Description:

  A unisex name, Rylan plays on many popular baby names, including Ryan and Riley. For boys, the trendy Rylan rose from its entry to the US Top 1000 in 1997 all the way up to Number 146 in 2011, though it has since declined. For girls, the name is a more recent entrant, debuting on the list in 2009.

Rebekah

• Origin:

  Hebrew

• Meaning:

  "to tie, bind"

• Description:

  Many parents prefer this spelling of Rebecca, used in some versions of the Bible. Still, it's slipped considerably since its heyday in the eighties and nineties.

Reyna

• Origin:

  Spelling variation of Reina

• Description:

  This variation is actually more popular in the United States than the original Spanish Reina.

Raquel

• Origin:

  Spanish variation of Rachel

• Description:

  Attractive name popular in the Latino community, long identified with half-Bolivian actress Raquel Welch.

Raelynn

• Origin:

  Modern invented name

• Description:

  This variation of Rae with the added -lynn suffix is rising in popularity.

Rosalee

• Origin:

  Variation of Rosalie, French

• Meaning:

  "rose"

• Description:

  Rosalie has officially been revived, sitting just outside the Top 200 in 2018. And as with many on-trend baby names, the creative spellings have started to roll in. Rosalee is one of the least offensive, although our preference remains the original.

Raelyn

• Origin:

  Spelling variation of Raelynn

• Description:

  After entering the Top 1000 in 2009, Raelyn has climbed the charts. It's ridden the coattails of Raelynn (which remains more popular), but also may be benefiting from the rise of Brooklyn. The use of -Lyn and -Lynn suffixes has grown in recent years, even as the name Lynn itself languishes.

Rayne

• Origin:

  Variation of Rain or Rayna

• Description:

  Rayne is the unique name used for one of the girl sextuplets on the Sweet Home TV show.

Ryleigh

• Origin:

  Spelling variation of Riley

• Description:

  Another increasingly well-used, more feminine, form of Riley, this one is particularly popular in the South.

Raegan

• Origin:

  Spelling variation of Reagan

• Description:

  An increasingly popular spelling as parents are responding more and more to the ae form of Braeden, Jaeden, Janae, and Nevaeh.

Rylie

• Origin:

  Spelling variation of Riley

• Description:

  Rylie is a spelling variation of the more-popular traditional Riley. We recommend the "y" at the end rather than in the middle.

Royal

• Origin:

  Word name

• Description:

  Word names may not be gendered in English, but Royal was used mostly for boys—as in Wes Anderson's anti-hero Royal Tennenbaum—until Lil' Kim named her daughter Royal. And why not? It's got a rich sound and a meaning fit for a rap princess....or prince. This puts a new spin on royal baby names.

Rylee

• Origin:

  Spelling variation of Riley

• Description:

  This substitute spelling of Riley has been popular with parents for a decade.

Roselyn

• Origin:

  Combination name of Rose and Lynn

• Description:

  Roselyn was a frequent member of the US Top 1000 in the early twentieth century until it dropped off the charts in 1954. It didn't return until 2003.

Ryann

• Origin:

  Spelling variation of Ryan

• Description:

  An attempt to make this name swing more to the feminine side, though the original Ryan is becoming perfectly acceptable for girls.

Royalty

• Origin:

  Word name

• Description:

  Royalty was the hottest name of 2016, moving furthest up the ladder to enter the Top 1000, and is also arguably the trendiest name of the past decade, used a whopping 71 times as often in 2017 as it was ten years earlier. Royalty represents the convergence of two important trends: word names and superlative names such as Legend and King. This is one we'll hear a lot of for a while.

Baby Girl Names That Start With Rae

Source: https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/R

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