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Probably
the same as the Sanskrit Suraiya 'beautiful'. But it could be from Arabic Surayya, a name given to the Pleiades, a star constellation. Both names may well be from the same root.Isn't it the name of a wife or daughter of the prophet Mohamed?
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"Isn't it the name of a wife or daughter of the prophet Mohamed?"I think you may be thinking of the last shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, whose second wife, Soraya, became somewhat of an international celebrity following her divorce from the shah and the penning of her autobiography. Perhaps her stylish, jet-setter appearance, America's fascination with royalty, or the feature which *Life* magazine did on her also helped to contribute to the fact that the name "Soraya" became a trendy baby name for girls born in the '60s. Soroya was the classic Cinderella figure -- the commoner with whom the king fell in love and married. Unfortunately the Iranian king didn't stay in love with Soraya, and divorced her because she had been unable to bear him any children.Princess Soraya died only last year.-- Nanaea
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