Raya is a short international name with several roots: in Hebrew it means "friend" or "companion", in Bulgarian and Russian it is a short form of Raisa, and in Arabic it can mean "banner" or "flag". Disney's 2021 film Raya and the Last Dragon, with its Southeast Asian warrior princess, brought the name to American parents' attention. Raya entered the US top 1000 in 2020, jumped to number 495 in 2021 and ranks number 369 in 2025.