Soraya

Soraya (ثریا) is a historical feminine name of Persian origin, derived from the Arabic name Thurayya (ثريّة). In the Persian language, also known as Farsi, Soraya is translated as 'the light of the stars' and 'the Pleiades', referring to the group of the Pleiades.

What does the name Soraya mean?

The name Soraya (ثریا) is a traditional Persian variant of the Arabic name Thurayya (ثريّة). In Farsi, it means 'the light of the stars' and 'the Pleiades', which refers to the Little Dipper. In Arabic cultures, the Pleiades is considered the diadem of the heavens, shining particularly at dawn and regarded as weather-influencing. The root of Soraya is found in Arabic and comes from the word thuráyya for 'the Pleiades' and 'the Seven Sisters', which is derived from thariya, meaning 'abundant' and 'in plenty'. In colloquial Turkish, the name is associated with 'wealth'. Additionally, it has meanings such as 'good princess' as well as 'little precious one' and 'jewel'. There are various variants of the name, including Sorayah, Soraja, Soraia, Soraija, Souraya, Soreya, Süreyya, Surayya, Surayyah, and Zoraya. In Germany, the name gained popularity through the Persian Empress Soraya.

Where does the name Soraya come from?

The origin of the name Soraya is Arabic and means 'the Seven Sisters'. The Arabic formation is thuráyya, which refers to the Pleiades, or thariya, which means 'abundant' and 'in plenty'. The name is rooted in various languages, including Old Persian, French, Iranian, Oriental, Persian, Portuguese, and Spanish.

How do you pronounce Soraya?

The pronunciation of Soraya is three syllables and melodic. In German, the name is usually pronounced as 'So-ra-ja' [zoˈʁaːja] or [soˈʁaːja]. It begins with a rounded O sound that creates a calm atmosphere. The stressed middle syllable with a long A gives the name a special depth of sound, while the soft 'ja' at the end allows the name to fade gently. This makes Soraya sound exotic and elegant – sonorous, feminine, and expressive.

Popularity

In Germany, the name Soraya enjoys great popularity and currently ranks 450th on the list of the most common female first names. Its best placement was in 2004 at rank 129. Over the past ten years, the name has been chosen approximately 1,300 times as a first name, bringing it to 415th place in the corresponding ten-year statistics. Between 2010 and 2024, it ranks 357th.

Nicknames & pet names

Aya / Chaya / Ray / Raya / Rayo / Raysi / Roya / Rächen / Saya / Soe / Soja / Sora / Sori / Sorka / Sorry / Sory / Sose / Soso / Soya / Sureli / Surli / Surlä / Sury / Söbi / Söre / Süessli / Süru / Yaya

Similar first names

Soraja

Famous people

• Soraya (Princess of Persia)
• Soraya Ali (YouTuber)
• Soraya Arnelas (Spanish singer)
• Soraya de Visch Eijbergen (badminton player from the Netherlands)
• Soraya Esfandiary Bakhtiari (former Empress of Iran)
• Soraya Ghasemi (Iranian actress)
• Soraya Jimenez Mendivil (Mexican weightlifter)
• Soraya Marcano (American artist)
• Soraya Moraes (Brazilian singer)
• Soraya Nini (American writer)
• Soraya Raquel Lamilla (American singer)
• Soraya Richter (German voice actress)
• Soraya Saenz de Santamaria (Spanish politician)
• Soraya Sala (actress from Switzerland)
• Soraya Tarzi (former Queen of Afghanistan)
• Soraya Titawasira (singer from Thailand)