Soraya
Soraya is a girl's name of Persian origin.
Meaning
The Pleiades constellation; brilliant or shining star cluster.
Origin and history
Soraya is a given name of Persian origin, historically associated with the Pleiades star cluster (Thurayya in Arabic). It gained international prominence in the mid-20th century through Queen Soraya of Iran. In the United States, it has experienced steady, modest usage as a distinctive celestial name.
Popularity in the United States
6,811 babies in the United States have been named Soraya since 1880. It ranks #2048 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #950.
States where it is most popular
- CA (27.7 %)
- NY (17.9 %)
- TX (11.9 %)
- FL (11.1 %)
- GA (3.3 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 0 |
| 1890-1900 | 0 |
| 1900-1910 | 0 |
| 1910-1920 | 0 |
| 1920-1930 | 0 |
| 1930-1940 | 0 |
| 1940-1950 | 0 |
| 1950-1960 | 61 |
| 1960-1970 | 326 |
| 1970-1980 | 313 |
| 1980-1990 | 422 |
| 1990-2000 | 629 |
| 2000-2010 | 1,580 |
| 2010-2019 | 1,963 |
| 2020-2029 | 1,517 |
Famous people named Soraya
- Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary: Queen, Socialite
- Soraya Arnelas: Singer
Fun facts
- The name became famous worldwide through Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary, who served as Queen of Iran from 1951 to 1958.
- Soraya is the Persian form of the Arabic name Thurayya, the classical name for the Pleiades star cluster.