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Name Lineage

    The first name Rainey

    A unisex name meaning “descendant of raighne”.

    2 syllables Unisex Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Rainey means “descendant of raighne”.

    Reduced Anglicized form of Irish Ó Raighne (“descendant of Raighne”), a Gaelicized form of the Old Norse personal name Rognvaldr.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 3 girls were named Rainey, making it the 5,927th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2023, with 8 births (#2,927).

    0510 1996200020052010201520202025
    51
    babies named Rainey, 1996–2025
    #5,927
    rank in 2025
    2023
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Rainey with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Rainey at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 76 girls born in the United States were named Rainey, the 2,376th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 2022, when 90 were.

    04590 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    GirlsBoys
    2,632
    babies named Rainey since 1880
    #2,376
    rank in 2025
    2022
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Nicknames and spellings

    Other spellings and forms

    • Rainy
    • Raney
    • Ranney
    • Rannie
    • Rany
    • Raynie
    • Reaney
    • Reany
    • Rennie
    • Renny

    Famous people named Rainey

    3 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Rainey Qualley
      American actress and singer, born 1989
    • William Rainey Harper
      American academic administrator (1856-1906)
    • Cole Swindell
      American singer-songwriter, born 1983

    Questions

    What does the name Rainey mean?
    Rainey means “descendant of raighne”.
    How popular is the name Rainey?
    In 2025, 3 girls born in England and Wales were named Rainey, ranking 5,927th. Its peak was 2023, with 8 births.
    Is Rainey a boy's or a girl's name?
    Both. Of the 2,632 US babies named Rainey since 1880, 83% were girls and 17% boys.
    When was Rainey most popular?
    2022 in the United States, when 90 babies were named Rainey, its highest rank at 2,137th.
    What are other spellings of Rainey?
    Rainy, Raney, Ranney, Rannie, Rany and Raynie.
    Is Rainey also a surname?
    Yes. Rainey is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.