Aurelia rara is a species of true jellyfish in the family Ulmaridae. It is known from type specimens found near Dauphin Island.
The genus name is derived from the Latin name , which in turn is derived from , meaning "golden". The specific epithet derives from the Latin , meaning "rare" or "uncommon", due to A. rara being more elusive in comparison to the other two Aurelia species in the type locality, A. montyi and A. marginalis.