Raya (given name)
Given name with multiple, unrelated origins in different cultures / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Raya is a given name with multiple, unrelated origins in different cultures.
Gender | Primarily female |
---|---|
Language(s) | Multiple |
Origin | |
Meaning | Various |
Region of origin | Multiple |
It is a Bulgarian diminutive of Rayna, meaning happy or a Russian diminutive of Raisa. It might also be related to the Latin name Regina meaning queen.[1]
It is also said to be an Arabic name derived from ريا (raya), meaning perfume or from راية (rayah), meaning banner or flag.[2] It is also said to be a Hebrew name meaning friend.[3] It is also said to be a Hindi name meaning flow.[4] In Indonesia and Malaysia, the term refers to greatness. The phrase hari raya is used to refer to a big celebration. The word is also associated in that region with rajah, a term used for nobility in India and related cultures.[5]
Raya is also a Galician and Spanish surname that has been said to be derived from a place name or a term referring to a border.[6]
Other, similar, spellings in use in places such as Canada and the United States include Rayah, Rayya, Rya, and Ryah.[7][8] It is also a masculine given name in different cultures, including the Philippines.