Riad
A masculine Arabic name meaning "meadows, gardens."
Name Census estimates that about 227 living Americans carry the first name Riad. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Riad today is around 19 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Riad births was 2009 (13 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Riad. 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
227
~ 1 in 1,509,931 Americans
Peak year
2009
13 babies that year
Average age
19
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,790
Tracked since 1973
Popularity
Riad: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Riad from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 68 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Riad remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Riad 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 Riad during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Riad
The name Riad is of Arabic origin and has its roots in the word "riyad," which means "gardens" or "meadows" in Arabic. This name is believed to have first emerged in the Middle East during the medieval period, when the region was experiencing a cultural and intellectual renaissance.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Riad can be found in the writings of renowned Arab scholars and poets from the 8th and 9th centuries. It is said that the name was often associated with gardens and lush landscapes, reflecting the importance of nature and beauty in Arabic culture.
In Islamic tradition, the name Riad holds significance as it is mentioned in the Quran, the holy book of Islam. In some interpretations, the word "riyad" is used to describe the gardens of paradise, emphasizing the beauty and serenity associated with the name.
Throughout history, there have been several notable figures who bore the name Riad. One of the earliest and most prominent was Riad al-Mulk, a prominent vizier and advisor to the Seljuk Sultan Malik Shah I, who lived in the 11th century. He was renowned for his wisdom, political acumen, and patronage of the arts and sciences.
Another prominent figure was Riad Pasha, an Ottoman statesman and military commander who lived in the 19th century. He played a crucial role in the modernization and reform efforts of the Ottoman Empire, and his contributions to the empire's military and administrative structures were significant.
In the 20th century, Riad al-Solh was a prominent Lebanese politician and statesman who served as the first Prime Minister of Lebanon after the country gained independence from France in 1943. He was instrumental in establishing Lebanon's democratic institutions and played a pivotal role in the country's early years of independence.
Riad Ismat, a Syrian writer and intellectual, was another notable figure who bore the name. He lived in the early 20th century and was known for his contributions to Arabic literature, particularly his novels and short stories that explored social and political themes.
Finally, Riad Sattouf, a French-Syrian cartoonist and filmmaker, has gained recognition in recent years for his autobiographical graphic novels that explore his childhood experiences growing up in Syria and France.
These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals throughout history who have carried the name Riad, reflecting the rich cultural heritage and significance of this name across the Arab world and beyond.
People
Riad + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Riad 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
Riad: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Riad?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 227 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Riad 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 1,509,931 US residents.
Is Riad a common name?
We classify Riad as "Very Rare". It ranks above 75.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 231 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Riad most popular?
The single biggest year for Riad was 2009, when 13 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Riad is about 19 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Riad a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Riad 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.
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.