Rayle / Rayleigh

The name Rayle is a variant of Rayleigh, which is a habitational surname derived from a place name in Essex, England. The place name 'Rayleigh' itself comes from Old English elements: 'rāh' meaning 'roe deer' and 'lēah' meaning 'woodland clearing' or 'meadow'. Thus, the name originally referred to someone who lived in or came from such a place. Over time, habitational surnames often became given names, sometimes in shortened or altered forms.