Soraya
/S-OW-R-AA-Y-AA/
Pleiades — Soraya (Persian/Arabic ثریا) is the Persian name for the Pleiades star cluster, a recurring image of clustered beauty in classical Persian poetry. The name was made internationally visible by Empress Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary, second wife of the last Shah of Iran. A name evoking jewel-like radiance.
See Soraya scored for your familyQuick — what every parent wants to know about Soraya:
Yes — Soraya is a Muslim girl name of Persian origin, meaning “Pleiades — Soraya (Persian/Arabic ثریا) is the Persian name for the Pleiades star cluster, a recurring image of clustered beauty in classical Persian poetry. The name was made internationally visible by Empress Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary, second wife of the last Shah of Iran. A name evoking jewel-like radiance.”. It also appears in Zoroastrian tradition.
How well does Soraya fit your family?
This page tells you what Soraya means. The app tells you whether it's right for your baby — scored against the names already in your family, your heritage, and your baby's exact birth star.
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Six signals — scored for your family, not in the abstract:
Meaning & origin
Soraya is a girl's name of Persian origin, traditionally used in Muslim families. The name means "Pleiades — Soraya (Persian/Arabic ثریا) is the Persian name for the Pleiades star cluster, a recurring image of clustered beauty in classical Persian poetry. The name was made internationally visible by Empress Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary, second wife of the last Shah of Iran. A name evoking jewel-like radiance." and belongs to the Light cluster — names meaning radiance, illumination, and hope.
Beyond its Muslim heritage, Soraya is also used in Zoroastrian traditions, reflecting how this name has traveled across cultures.
Common among Persian, Arab, Iranian, Pakistani, British, American families, Soraya carries cultural weight that goes beyond its dictionary definition — it's a name with a story and a community.
What would a baby named Soraya look like?
NameRoot imagines a one-of-a-kind AI baby portrait for every name, shaped by its heritage — the features, the colouring, the feeling a name like Soraya carries. No two are alike.
See Soraya's portrait — and its full score — the moment you open the app.
See Soraya's baby portrait →What does Soraya's numerology say?
Numerology assigns each name a single-digit destiny number by summing its letter values. Different schools use different mappings — NameRoot computes both so you can see how Soraya resonates in either tradition.
Soraya's destiny number is 7 — but a number only matters in context. The app matches it to your family's own numbers for a real compatibility read. See Soraya's full reading →
Does Soraya go with your family's names?
Soraya breaks into 6 sounds: /S-OW-R-AA-Y-AA/. The real test isn't how it sounds alone — it's how it sounds beside the names already in your family: yours, your partner's, and any brothers or sisters. NameRoot scores that harmony, so Soraya sits naturally next to a Mum and Dad like Michael & Anna, or a big sister named Gianna — no awkward clashes, no two names that blur together. Hear Soraya beside your family's names →
Nicknames
Common affectionate forms of Soraya — useful for everyday family conversation, early childhood, or as standalone given names themselves.
Names similar to Soraya
If Soraya resonates with you, these names live in the same world — drawn from the same tradition, sharing the same meaning, or echoing a similar sound.
From the same tradition
Other Muslim girl names, common in Persian families
Sharing the same meaning
Other Muslim girl names from the Light cluster
Names that sound similar
Muslim girl names that open with the same syllables as Soraya
Explore more names
Keep exploring names like Soraya — by tradition, by meaning, or by first letter.
Common questions about Soraya
What does the name Soraya mean?
Soraya means "Pleiades — Soraya (Persian/Arabic ثریا) is the Persian name for the Pleiades star cluster, a recurring image of clustered beauty in classical Persian poetry. The name was made internationally visible by Empress Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary, second wife of the last Shah of Iran. A name evoking jewel-like radiance.." It is a girl name of Persian origin, traditionally used in Muslim families.
Is Soraya a boy or girl name?
Soraya is most commonly used as a girl name.
What is the origin of the name Soraya?
Soraya is of Persian origin, used in Muslim, Zoroastrian traditions, commonly among Persian, Arab, Iranian families.
Is Soraya a Muslim name?
Yes. Soraya is a girl name traditionally used in Muslim families, of Persian origin. It also appears in Zoroastrian tradition.
What does Soraya mean in Persian?
Soraya originates from Persian, where it means "Pleiades — Soraya (Persian/Arabic ثریا) is the Persian name for the Pleiades star cluster, a recurring image of clustered beauty in classical Persian poetry. The name was made internationally visible by Empress Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary, second wife of the last Shah of Iran. A name evoking jewel-like radiance.."
What are common nicknames for Soraya?
Common short forms of Soraya include Sora, Raya.
What is the numerology of Soraya?
Soraya has a Pythagorean destiny number of 7 — introspection and spiritual wisdom.
See how Soraya scores for your family
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