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    The first name Raleigh

    A unisex name from English meaning “roe deer”, “woodland”, “clearing”.

    Pronounced /ˈɹɔːli/ 2 syllables Unisex Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    English origin

    Raleigh means “roe deer”, “woodland”, “clearing” in English.

    From Old English rā, rāha (“roe deer”) + lēah (“woodland, clearing”). Equivalent to roe + -ley (“lea”).

    More names that mean deer.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    Raleigh last appeared in the official list in 2016, given to 3 boys.

    0510 1996200020052010201520202025
    3
    babies named Raleigh, 1996–2025
    #4,810
    rank in 2016
    2016
    peak year

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

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Raleigh at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 104 girls born in the United States were named Raleigh, the 1,894th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 2016, when 170 were.

    0100200 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    GirlsBoys
    12,336
    babies named Raleigh since 1880
    #1,894
    rank in 2025
    2016
    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.

    Famous people named Raleigh

    1 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • John Mott
      American Methodist and founder of the YMCA (1865–1955)

    More English unisex names

    All 216 names of English origin

    Questions

    What does the name Raleigh mean?
    Raleigh means “roe deer”, “woodland”, “clearing” in English.
    What is the origin of the name Raleigh?
    From Old English rā, rāha (“roe deer”) + lēah (“woodland, clearing”). Equivalent to roe + -ley (“lea”).
    How popular is the name Raleigh?
    In 2016, 3 boys born in England and Wales were named Raleigh, ranking 4,810th.
    Is Raleigh a boy's or a girl's name?
    Both. Of the 12,336 US babies named Raleigh since 1880, 25% were girls and 75% boys.
    When was Raleigh most popular?
    2016 in the United States, when 170 babies were named Raleigh, its highest rank at 1,382nd.
    How do you pronounce Raleigh?
    Raleigh is /ˈɹɔːli/, 2 syllables.
    Is Raleigh also a surname?
    Yes. Raleigh is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.