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The short answer
Raiden is a masculine name used in Japanese Mythology and English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From Japanese 雷 (rai) meaning ‘thunder’ and 電 (den) meaning ‘lightning’. The video games Mortal Kombat (1992) and Metal Gear Solid 2 (2001), which featured prominent characters by this name, helped familiarize it to the western world." It ranked #432 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from Japanese 雷 (rai) meaning ‘thunder’ and 電 (den) meaning ‘lightning’. The video games Mortal Kombat (1992) and Metal Gear Solid 2 (2001), which featured prominent characters by this name, helped familiarize it to the western world. The entry lists its usage as Japanese Mythology, English (Modern).
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Raiden ranked #432 for boys in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #432 | ssa-2025 |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Raiden mean?
Behind the Name does not give Raiden a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: from Japanese 雷.
Is Raiden a popular name?
Raiden ranked #432 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Raiden a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Raiden appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Raiden — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
