What does Soraya mean?
Soraya names the Pleiades star cluster in Persian.
What does Roya mean?
Roya means “dream” or “vision” in Persian.
Soraya vs Roya
Which is more popular?
Soraya is more popular than Roya today: about 313 US babies were given the name Soraya in 2025, compared with 76 named Roya.
| Soraya | Roya | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | The Pleiades | Dream, vision |
| Origin | Persian | Persian |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | soh-RY-ah | ROH-yah |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1955 | 1955 |
| Peak year | 2025 (313) | 2025 (76) |
| In 2025 | 313 | 76 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Near its peak |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Soraya
Roya
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Soraya | Roya |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 1,517 | 343 |
| 2010s | 1,963 | 392 |
| 2000s | 1,580 | 219 |
| 1990s | 629 | 275 |
| 1980s | 422 | 234 |
| 1970s | 313 | 99 |
| 1960s | 326 | 42 |
| 1950s | 61 | 19 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Soraya or Roya more popular?
Soraya is more popular than Roya today: about 313 US babies were given the name Soraya in 2025, compared with 76 named Roya.
What is the difference between Soraya and Roya?
Soraya means The Pleiades (Persian origin), while Roya means Dream, vision (Persian origin).
Which name is older, Soraya or Roya?
In US records, Soraya first appears in 1955 and Roya in 1955, so Soraya has the longer recorded history.