Soraya
Soraya is a girls' name of Persian origin meaning “the Pleiades; brilliant gem.” It ranked #862 in the United States in 2025. Soraya is the Persian form of the Arabic thurayya, the Pleiades star cluster, glossed as brilliant gem.
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how do you pronounce Soraya?
sor-EYE-ah
where does the name Soraya come from?
From a word meaning brilliant gem, or the Pleiades star cluster; it is a feminine Persian name, also spelled Zoraya in Spain and the Spanish-speaking world, a legacy of al-Andalus.
Queen Soraya of Iran helped popularize the name internationally in the 1950s, and in Persian poetry the Pleiades symbolize beauty and unattainability.
how popular is this name?
Soraya has appeared in the US top 1,000 in 3 years since 2021, and fell outside it for 2. It peaked at #862 in 2025.
See the milestone years
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | #862 |
| 2024 | #908 |
| 2021 | #987 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset (through 2025). Years absent from the table are years Soraya fell outside the top 1,000.
the history of Soraya
Isabel de Solís, a Nasrid princess of Granada who converted to Islam, took the name Soraya or Zoraya, and Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiari, second wife of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi of Iran, made it popular in Europe.
who are famous people named Soraya?
- Queen Soraya of Iran
- Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary (Iranian-German socialite)
what are the nicknames and variants of Soraya?
Variants around the world
what names are similar to Soraya?
what names go well with Soraya?
Sibling names that share Soraya's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
quick answers about Soraya
What does the name Soraya mean?
Soraya means “the Pleiades; brilliant gem”.
What is the origin of the name Soraya?
Soraya comes from the Persian naming tradition. Related forms include Zoraya.
How popular is the name Soraya?
Soraya ranked #862 in the US in 2025, according to Social Security data.
Is Soraya a boy or girl name?
Soraya is primarily a girls' name.
How do you pronounce Soraya?
Soraya is pronounced sor-EYE-ah, with 3 syllables.
Last updated · Curated by HushName editorial
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