Rayder
An Old Norse name derived from the phrase "the red deer".
Name Census estimates that about 189 living Americans carry the first name Rayder. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Rayder today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rayder births was 2017 (18 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rayder. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
189
~ 1 in 1,813,515 Americans
Peak year
2017
18 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,785
Tracked since 2005
Popularity
Rayder: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rayder from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 113 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Rayder remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rayder by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Rayder during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Rayder
The name Rayder is a relatively modern name with no clear historical origins. It appears to be a unique variation or misspelling of the name "Raider," which has its roots in English and is derived from the verb "to raid" or the noun "raid," meaning a sudden military attack.
There are no known ancient texts, religious scriptures, or historical records that mention the name Rayder specifically. However, the name "Raider" has been used in English-speaking regions for centuries, often referring to those who participated in military raids or pirate activities.
The earliest recorded use of the name Rayder is difficult to pinpoint due to its modern and uncommon nature. However, some notable individuals who have borne this name include:
1. Rayder Ashe (born 1983), an American football player who played as a defensive back in the NFL for the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins in the late 2000s.
2. Rayder Gilmore (born 1971), an American mixed martial artist and former professional wrestler who competed in various organizations, including the UFC and King of the Cage.
3. Rayder Kazanjian (born 1988), an American entrepreneur and technology executive who co-founded the social media marketing platform TapInfluence.
4. Rayder Stephens (born 1976), an Australian singer-songwriter and musician known for her folk and alternative rock compositions.
5. Rayder Williamson (born 1962), an American painter and artist renowned for his abstract expressionist works, which have been exhibited in galleries across the United States.
While the name Rayder is not widely used, it has gained some popularity in recent years, likely as a unique or unconventional variation of the more common name "Raider." However, its historical roots and etymological origins remain largely undocumented, making it a relatively modern and uncommon name choice.
People
Rayder + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rayder as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Rayder: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rayder?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 189 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rayder going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,813,515 US residents.
Is Rayder a common name?
We classify Rayder as "Very Rare". It ranks above 73.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 190 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rayder most popular?
The single biggest year for Rayder was 2017, when 18 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rayder is about 10 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Rayder in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Rayder a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rayder in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Rayder still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Rayder in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Rayder can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Rayder as a first name?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the name Rayder on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.