What does the name Ryan mean?

Ryan means little king; descendant of Rían.

Where does the name Ryan come from?

Ryan is a boy name of Irish origin.

Is Ryan a boy or a girl name?

Ryan is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 3% of children given the name Ryan are girls and 97% are boys.

How popular is the name Ryan in 2023?

Ryan ranks #677 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1985 with 30,475 babies.

How do you pronounce Ryan?

Ryan is pronounced RYE-an (2 syllables).

A name from Irish · Boy

Ryan

Little king; descendant of Rían.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 117-year arc in numbers.

956,685 U.S. births recorded from 1906–2023.

Popularity · 1906–2023

4,468 births in 2023

1906 1964 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

RLittle king; descendant of Rían.

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Ryan.

R
Ryan Gosling (actor)
R
Ryan Reynolds (actor)

Quick answers

People often ask about Ryan.

What does the name Ryan mean?: Ryan means little king; descendant of Rían.
Where does the name Ryan come from?: Ryan is a boy name of Irish origin.
Is Ryan a boy or a girl name?: Ryan is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 3% of children given the name Ryan are girls and 97% are boys.
How popular is the name Ryan in 2023?: Ryan ranks #677 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1985 with 30,475 babies.
How do you pronounce Ryan?: Ryan is pronounced RYE-an (2 syllables).

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.