Raven

At a Glance: Name: Raven – Meaning: the black-feathered bird – Origin: English (word name, masculine use parallels Old Norse Hrafn) – Gender: Neutral – Pronunciation: RAY-vuhn

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Raven takes its name straight from the black-feathered bird, and it's pronounced RAY-vuhn. It's used for both boys and girls, with the masculine use running parallel to the Old Norse name Hrafn, and it carries a free-spirited, adventurous feel drawn from the natural world.

Meaning & Origin of Raven

Meaning: The black-feathered bird.

Origin: English (word name, masculine use parallels Old Norse Hrafn).

Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.

How to Pronounce Raven

Phonetic: RAY-vuhn   IPA: /ˈreɪvən/

Popularity of Raven

Raven has shown up in U.S. birth data since 1921, hitting its highest popularity in 1993 at #139 with 2,285 babies, before settling to #388 in 2024 with 813 babies.

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1921–2024.

Make Raven Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Raven, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.

Names With a Similar Story

Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.

• Ash
• Aspen
• Bay
• Bear
• Harley
• Ivy

FAQ

What does the name Raven mean?

The black-feathered bird. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Raven)

How do you pronounce Raven?

Raven is pronounced RAY-vuhn (IPA: /ˈreɪvən/).

Is Raven a popular name right now?

Raven peaked at #139 in 1993 and is ranked #388 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1921–2024.)

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