Raven Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity
Raven is predominantly used for girls. The statistics below show this exact spelling in official U.S. records.
How Do You Spell Raven?
Raven is spelled R-A-V-E-N. The name has 5 letters.
Raven at a Glance
- Usage
- Predominantly used for girls
- Meaning
- Raven is the name of a large, black bird known for its intelligence and distinctive throat calls.
- Origin
- The name Raven is derived from the English word for the bird and is used as a given name in English-speaking contexts.
- Pronunciation
- RAY-vuhn · 2 syllables
Raven Popularity in 2025
Rank#404
Recorded Births771
Rank#2,941
Recorded Births42
- Girls usage fell 18 places to #404 and recorded 45 fewer births compared with 2024.
- Boys usage fell 152 places to #2,941 and recorded 4 fewer births compared with 2024.
Figures reflect this exact spelling in the latest available U.S. Social Security Administration records. See the complete year-by-year trend.
What Does the Name Raven Mean?
Raven is the name of a large, black bird known for its intelligence and distinctive throat calls.
Origin: The name Raven is derived from the English word for the bird and is used as a given name in English-speaking contexts.
How Do You Pronounce Raven?
PronunciationRAY-vuhn
Syllables2
What Is the History of the Name Raven?
- History
- Raven has been used as a given name in English and has increased in popularity in recent decades, often as a nature-inspired or surname-derived personal name.
Raven Popularity by Year
The table below shows the most recent available records for this exact spelling from 2014 through 2025. Use the full history page to explore every recorded year.
| Year | Usage Category | Recorded Births | National Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Girls | 771 | #404 |
| 2025 | Boys | 42 | #2,941 |
| 2024 | Girls | 816 | #386 |
| 2024 | Boys | 46 | #2,789 |
| 2023 | Girls | 848 | #360 |
| 2023 | Boys | 43 | #2,895 |
| 2022 | Girls | 772 | #408 |
| 2022 | Boys | 57 | #2,438 |
| 2021 | Girls | 779 | #407 |
| 2021 | Boys | 45 | #2,775 |
| 2020 | Girls | 749 | #417 |
| 2020 | Boys | 40 | #2,925 |
| 2019 | Girls | 746 | #425 |
| 2019 | Boys | 33 | #3,426 |
| 2018 | Girls | 751 | #413 |
| 2018 | Boys | 41 | #2,893 |
| 2017 | Girls | 713 | #443 |
| 2017 | Boys | 39 | #3,006 |
| 2016 | Girls | 637 | #488 |
| 2016 | Boys | 40 | #2,935 |
| 2015 | Girls | 658 | #486 |
| 2015 | Boys | 37 | #3,085 |
| 2014 | Girls | 619 | #505 |
| 2014 | Boys | 37 | #3,038 |
When Was Raven Most Popular?
Peak years are based on the highest recorded birth totals for this exact spelling and usage category. They are ordered by birth count, not chronologically.
1993 · Girls
2,285 recorded births
National rank #139
1994 · Girls
2,075 recorded births
National rank #156
1991 · Girls
2,026 recorded births
National rank #150
1992 · Girls
2,017 recorded births
National rank #151
Where Raven Ranked Highest in 2025
State rankings are calculated separately for girls and boys within each state. The SSA omits state-level names recorded fewer than five times, so low visible counts can still represent a relatively high state rank.
Top States for Girls
| State | Rank | Recorded Births |
|---|---|---|
| AK | #134 | 5 |
| ME | #176 | 6 |
| WV | #181 | 9 |
| IA | #186 | 17 |
| KY | #208 | 22 |
| OR | #223 | 16 |
| SC | #228 | 21 |
| MO | #250 | 25 |