Rhydian
A Welsh name derived from the elements "rhyd" meaning ford and "ian" meaning small.
Name Census estimates that about 318 living Americans carry the first name Rhydian. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Rhydian today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rhydian births was 2015 (46 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rhydian. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Rhydian with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
318
~ 1 in 1,077,844 Americans
Peak year
2015
46 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,659
Tracked since 2012
Popularity
Rhydian: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rhydian from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 188 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Rhydian remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rhydian 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 Rhydian during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Rhydians live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. California, Texas, Washington recorded the most babies named Rhydian, while Washington, Texas, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 8 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Rhydian
The name Rhydian is of Welsh origin, derived from the Welsh word "rhyddhau" meaning "to set free" or "to liberate." It is a relatively modern name, first appearing in the late 20th century. The name's roots can be traced back to the Welsh language, which has been spoken in Wales for centuries.
While there are no known historical references to the name Rhydian in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it is a name that has gained popularity in recent times. The earliest recorded examples of the name date back to the late 1900s, when it began to appear in birth records in Wales and other parts of the United Kingdom.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the name Rhydian was Rhydian Roberts, a Welsh singer and actor born in 1983. Roberts gained fame as a contestant on the British talent show The X Factor in 2007, where he finished as the runner-up. He has since released several albums and appeared in various stage productions.
Another well-known figure named Rhydian is Rhydian Vaughan, a Welsh singer-songwriter born in 1981. Vaughan has released several albums and is known for his unique blend of folk and rock music. He has also performed at various music festivals and concerts throughout the United Kingdom and beyond.
In the field of sports, Rhydian Morgan-Williams is a Welsh rugby union player born in 1990. He has represented Wales at the international level and has played for several professional clubs, including the Ospreys and Cardiff Blues.
Rhydian Griffiths is a Welsh actor born in 1985. He has appeared in various television shows and films, including the popular British series Gavin & Stacey and the film Pride.
Rhydian Davies is a Welsh artist born in 1971. He is known for his vibrant paintings and sculptures, often depicting scenes from Welsh culture and landscapes. Davies' work has been exhibited in galleries across the United Kingdom and internationally.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the name Rhydian throughout history. While the name may be relatively modern, its Welsh roots and the achievements of those who bear it have contributed to its growing popularity and recognition.
People
Rhydian + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rhydian 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
Rhydian: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rhydian?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 318 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rhydian 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 1,077,844 US residents.
Is Rhydian a common name?
We classify Rhydian as "Very Rare". It ranks above 79.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 320 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rhydian most popular?
The single biggest year for Rhydian was 2015, when 46 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rhydian is about 7 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Rhydian in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Rhydian a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rhydian in the SSA data are male. 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.
Is Rhydian still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Rhydian in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Rhydian can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Rhydian?
Want to know how many people share the name Rhydian? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.