26 Rare Baby Names Starting with R

River. Riley. Remi. R baby names are sooooo hot right now! Baby naming experts predicted R baby names would be one of the biggest trends of 2023 and we reckon they were spot on.

I’ve heard so many baby announcements recently where their baby’s name starts with R including common names, trendy names and vintage names making a comeback.

Popular Baby Names Starting with R

Let’s take a look at some of the baby names starting with R that you probably don’t hear every day. But first, take a look at the most popular baby names starting with R:

Rose
Rosie
Remi/Remy
River
Ruby
Ryan
Roman
Reuben
Riley

Additional popular R baby names that didn’t make the top 100 include Rowan, Ryder, Robert, Rory, Richard, Rachel, Raymond, Rebecca and Rosalie.

Rare R Baby Names

There is no shortage of baby names starting with R. Below are our favourite rare R baby names. We know there are heaps more so feel free to drop your favourites in the comments below!

1. Ren – Short, sweet and with the meaning of “lotus”, Ren is a name blooming with beauty.

2. Rylan – If you’re after a name similar to Ryan then Rylan might work. Another option is Rylen.

3. Raina – This mighty name means “queen” and is a perfect fit for your fierce little girl. Another spelling option is Reigna which is a bit more rogue and regal.

4. Rilo – We’ve never heard this name before but it sticks to the popular ‘O’ ending and makes a cute alternative to names like Milo, Theo and Leo.

5. Ripley – Believe it or not, this name comes with a woodsy meaning of “strip of clearing in the woods”.

6. Romy – If you’re a fan of the classic Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion, then you’ll be familiar with this name. Romy means “dew of the sea” and has a very serene vibe.

7. Raleigh – An Old English name, Raleigh is a sweet choice which means “deer’s meadow”.

8. Rex – Although Rex has always been popular as a name for dogs, it’s climbing the human baby name charts too. Rex means “king” and is a funky choice if you like short names.

9. Rafi – Rafi could be a nickname for Raphael or Rafferty but it’s also strong enough to stand on its own. Rafi means “exalted” and “noble” and can be shortened to the equally cute Raf.

10. Rio – Or Reo, if you’d like. Both mean “river” in Spanish. Another option is Ria.

11. Rue – Made popular by The Hunger Games, Rue means “regret”. But we don’t have to focus on that. Check out some of these other names that have unfortunate meanings.

12. Rome – Geographical baby names are nothing new but Rome certainly is. We can see this one taking off.

13. Reef – There are plenty of ‘ocean or water’ themed names starting with R including River and Rain, but how about Reef?

14. Rocky – If you’re looking for something fierce and flashy, Rocky certainly fits the mould!

15. Ridge – Another rocky name, Ridge is an Old English name that is both strong and woodsy.

16. Ryla – A combination of Ryan and Tyla, Ryla might be one to consider if you like R baby names and are looking for something regal.

16. Revel – This name is one you don’t hear every day and means “rejoice”.

17. Rhodes – A travel-inspired name, Rhodes is fancy and fun.

18. Rhea – Rhea is a Greek mythology name meaning “flowing stream”.

19. Rumi – A softer alternative to Rumour, Rumi translates to “beauty” and “flow”.

20. Roux – This French name means “russet” or “red”. Roux is pronounced as “Rue”.

21. Renard – Meaning “fox”, this sly animal name is perfect for any charming little guy.

Rare Baby names starting with R — Source: Bigstock

22. Reeves – This name, meaning “bailiff” oozes with elegant and old English charm.

23. Rowe – Another animal-inspired name, Rowe means “deer” and works as a nickname for Rowan or on its own.

24. Raven – Poetic and dark, Raven is a beautiful choice.

25. Royce – A sophisticated name for any bub, Royce is a beauty in the car world and a cute newcomer to the list of rare baby names starting with R.

26. Róisín – This pretty Irish name comes from the word for “rose”. It’s pronounced “row-sheen”.

Names starting with every letter of the alphabet

We hope you enjoyed our list of baby names starting with R. Check out our entire baby name series as we go through our top picks for unique names starting with every letter of the alphabet.