| Rania | Farah | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Gazing intently; beholding | Joy, happiness |
| Origin | arabic | Arabic |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | RAH-nee-ah | FAH-rah |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1963 | 1960 |
| Peak year | 2006 (128) | 2012 (178) |
| In 2025 | 65 | 164 |
| Trend | Declining | Steady |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Rania | Farah |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 473 | 973 |
| 2010s | 1,024 | 1,580 |
| 2000s | 871 | 1,185 |
| 1990s | 298 | 863 |
| 1980s | 264 | 818 |
| 1970s | 176 | 710 |
| 1960s | 29 | 149 |
Rania (رانية, raniya) derives from the root r-n-w and means 'gazing, looking intently', often with a sense of admiring or longing contemplation. It is widely known today through Queen Rania of Jordan.
Farah means “joy” or “happiness” in Arabic.
Farah is more popular than Rania today: about 164 US babies were given the name Farah in 2025, compared with 65 named Rania.
Rania means Gazing intently; beholding (arabic origin), while Farah means Joy, happiness (Arabic origin).
In US records, Rania first appears in 1963 and Farah in 1960, so Farah has the longer recorded history.