Variant of Soraya, from Persian and Arabic meaning 'the Pleiades' star cluster, symbolizing beauty.
Soraiya is a variant spelling of Soraya, a name of Persian and Arabic origin meaning "the Pleiades" — the famous star cluster in the constellation Taurus, known across nearly every human culture as a celestial landmark for navigation, agriculture, and mythology. In Arabic, the Pleiades are called Ath-Thurayyā, and the name carries connotations of radiance, height, and celestial beauty. The Pleiades have been associated with the divine feminine across cultures: in Greek mythology they were the seven daughters of Atlas and Pleione, transformed into stars; in many Indigenous traditions they mark the beginning of planting seasons.
The name gained global prominence through Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiari (1932–2001), the second wife of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi of Iran. Her story — a marriage that ended because she could not produce an heir, her subsequent life in Europe as a photographer and actress — made her one of the most poignant and romanticized figures of 20th-century history. Her beauty and the tragedy of her situation captivated the international press for decades, and her name became synonymous with a particular kind of elegiac grace.
Soraiya, with its distinctive spelling, extends the name's reach while maintaining its celestial essence. The variation adds a softness and warmth to the already beautiful original. Today the name is used across Persian, Arabic, Turkish, and South Asian communities, as well as by parents of diverse backgrounds drawn to its lyrical sound and cosmic meaning. To name a child Soraiya is to give them the stars — specifically, one of the most storied star clusters in the human imagination.