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Ryan

Boy Irish /RYE-an/ #678 in 2023

Ryan is a boy name of Irish origin.

Meaning of Ryan

Little king; descendant of Rían.

Popularity of Ryan

Popularity, 1906–2023

4,466 births in 2023

1906 2023

956,668 U.S. births recorded from 1906–2023. Used for both boys and girls — see notes below.

Peak year

1985

30,479 babies

First recorded

1906

117 years of history

Recent trend

Falling

Last 5 yrs vs. prior 5

Famous people named Ryan

Ryan Gosling (actor)
Ryan Reynolds (actor)

Similar names

Boy · Germanic

Bright fame; from 'hrod' (fame) and 'beraht' (bright)

Boy · Germanic languages

From Rycharde, from Richard, from Richardus and Ricohardus, from Rīkahard, from Rīkaharduz, a construction Cognate with t=Richard

Name of a seventh-century Irish saint, from Caoimhghin or Caoimhín, from Cóemgen

Boy · Germanic languages

Anglicized from Raghnall, itself derived from Rǫgnvaldr, from rǫgn + valdr, later partly merged with the Continental Germanic equivalent Reynold

A book of the Old Testament and the Hebrew Tanakh

Boy · Germanic languages

A number of places elsewhere

In regular use since the Reformation

Younger daughter of Laban, sister to Leah, and second wife of Jacob

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.