| Rania | Huda | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Gazing intently; beholding | Guidance |
| Origin | arabic | Arabic |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | RAH-nee-ah | HOO-dah |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1963 | 1976 |
| Peak year | 2006 (128) | 2025 (117) |
| In 2025 | 65 | 117 |
| Trend | Declining | Near its peak |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Rania | Huda |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 473 | 479 |
| 2010s | 1,024 | 600 |
| 2000s | 871 | 518 |
| 1990s | 298 | 277 |
| 1980s | 264 | 125 |
| 1970s | 176 | 22 |
| 1960s | 29 | 0 |
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.
Huda means “right guidance” in Arabic.
Huda is more popular than Rania today: about 117 US babies were given the name Huda in 2025, compared with 65 named Rania.
Rania means Gazing intently; beholding (arabic origin), while Huda means Guidance (Arabic origin).
In US records, Rania first appears in 1963 and Huda in 1976, so Rania has the longer recorded history.