Rayleigh, an intriguing name of English origin, is derived from a place in Essex county, England known as Rayleigh. The name originally referred to a person who was either from this place or worked there, and it has since evolved into a given name for males. It's pronounced /ˈreɪli/ and its popularity peaked in the early 20th century before gradually declining. Today, it remains an uncommon yet distinctive choice for parents looking for a unique name with historic roots.
The name Rayleigh saw a significant increase in popularity from 1995 to 2023, with the number of annual births steadily rising from 7 to a peak of 189 in 2018. However, there was a decrease in recent years, with only 164 births recorded in 2023. Overall, there were 2695 Rayleighs born between 1995 and 2023.