Rheannon
A feminine name of Welsh origin meaning "sweet queen" or "great queen".
Name Census estimates that about 420 living Americans carry the first name Rheannon. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Rheannon today is around 35 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rheannon births was 1977 (21 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rheannon. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
420
~ 1 in 816,082 Americans
Peak year
1977
21 babies that year
Average age
35
years old
2008 SSA rank
#17,040
Tracked since 1976
Popularity
Rheannon: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rheannon from the 1970s through to the 2000s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 151 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1980s peak, Rheannon remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rheannon by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Rheannon during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Rheannons live
Origin
Meaning and history of Rheannon
The name Rheannon is believed to have originated from the Welsh language, with its roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Welsh word "rhiannon," which means "great queen" or "divine queen." This name was closely associated with the Welsh mythological figure, Rhiannon, who was a prominent character in the Mabinogion, a collection of medieval Welsh tales.
In the Mabinogion, Rhiannon was portrayed as a powerful and enchanting figure, often depicted as a goddess or a queen. Her name was associated with sovereignty, fertility, and the divine feminine. The name Rheannon was likely adopted as a tribute to this legendary figure, reflecting the admiration and reverence held for her in Welsh mythology.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rheannon can be found in the 12th century, when it appeared in medieval Welsh literature. Throughout the centuries, the name has been passed down through various generations, with slight variations in spelling, such as Rhiannon, Rhiann, or Rhianon.
Historically, several notable figures have borne the name Rheannon. One of the most famous was Rheannon Courtney (1609-1670), an English historian and writer who authored several works on the history of Wales. Another prominent figure was Rheannon Gwynne (1768-1834), a Welsh poet and translator known for her contributions to the preservation of Welsh literature and culture.
In the 19th century, Rheannon Williams (1822-1901) was a prominent Welsh educator and advocate for women's rights. She played a vital role in establishing educational opportunities for women in Wales during a time when such opportunities were limited.
More recently, Rheannon Sparrow (1932-2018) was a celebrated American artist and sculptor, renowned for her intricate and thought-provoking works that explored themes of spirituality and the human condition.
Another notable figure was Rheannon Linney (1945-2022), an American playwright and screenwriter whose works often explored complex social issues and the human experience. Her plays were widely acclaimed and performed on various stages across the United States.
People
Rheannon + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rheannon as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Rheannon: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rheannon?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 420 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rheannon going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 816,082 US residents.
Is Rheannon a common name?
We classify Rheannon as "Very Rare". It ranks above 82.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 440 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rheannon most popular?
The single biggest year for Rheannon was 1977, when 21 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rheannon is about 35 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Rheannon a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rheannon in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.