Given name & surname · also Gaelic, Scottish
Rae
“son of grace”
Rae is used as a given name and a surname. One Scottish interpretation is “son of grace.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Scottish interpretation is “son of grace.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Scottish.
How it developed
Rae is used as a form of Rachel.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English use, Rae is a diminutive of Rachel. The history of Rachel gives this family its wider story. In biblical stories, Rachel is associated with Jacob's wife.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Rae through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 24,420
- 960 boys · 23,460 girls
- Most popular year
- 1956
- 412 babies
- 2025
- 176
- #1,306 for girls · #13,425 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −1%
- Steady
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 3% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 171 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,306 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 0.2% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 406 in 1956. It also appeared in 5 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (25). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 13,639 as a first name in 2020; 5,142 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Rae’s family of names
In English usage, Rae is a diminutive of Rachel. Rae has a related form in Ray. Rae is a short form of Rachel.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 32
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Raelynnvariant
- Rachelfull form · English
- Raymondfull form
- Raelynvariant
- Raydiminutive · English
- Reneefull form · English
- Raylynnvariant
- Raylavariant
Show 24 moreShow fewer
- Raylynvariant
- Raeleevariant
- Raelanivariant
- Raelynnevariant
- Roevariant · English
- Raelinvariant
- Rayevariant
- Raylenevariant
- Raeleenvariant
- Raellavariant
- Raelenevariant
- Raynishavariant
- Rayneshavariant
- Rayonavariant
- Raynellevariant
- Raymavariant
- Raylinavariant
- Rayettevariant
- Raenishavariant
- Raelinavariant
- Raelenavariant
- Raelainevariant
- Raedinevariant
- Raedellvariant
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Rae
- Rae Dawn ChongCanadian-American actressborn 1961
- Rae AllenAmerican actress (1926–2022)
- Rae ArmantroutAmerican poet (born 1947)
- Rae MorrisBritish singerborn 1992
- Rae Lin D'AlieAmerican basketball playerborn 1987
- Rae BergerAmerican actor and director (1877-1931)
- Rae Sloan BredinAmerican painter and teacher, 1881-19331880–1933
- Rae BurrellAmerican basketball player (born 2000)
- Rae CarruthAmerican football playerborn 1974
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Rae, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Jolene
“God will add” · “God shall add”
>99% girls
Fina
“God will add” · “God shall add”
>99% girls
Jo
“God will add” · “God is gracious”
13% boys · 87% girls
Becky
“one who is bound to God”
>99% girls
Annmarie
“filled with bitter grace”
>99% girls
Prudence
“one who is cautious and exercises good judgment”
>99% girls
Connie
“one who is steadfast; firm” · “one who is steadfast; constant”
>99% girls
Josée
“God shall add”
>99% girls