Riona
A feminine Irish name derived from Rí meaning "queen" or "kingly".
Name Census estimates that about 561 living Americans carry the first name Riona. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Riona today is around 14 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Riona births was 2015 (33 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Riona. 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
561
~ 1 in 610,970 Americans
Peak year
2015
33 babies that year
Average age
14
years old
2024 SSA rank
#7,496
Tracked since 1996
Popularity
Riona: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Riona from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 238 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Riona remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Riona 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 Riona during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Rionas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. California, Massachusetts, New York recorded the most babies named Riona, while New York, Massachusetts, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 22 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Riona
The name Riona is derived from the Irish Gaelic language and is believed to have originated in the medieval period. It is a feminine form of the name Rion, which is thought to be a variant of the Irish name Rian, meaning "little king" or "vigorous."
The earliest recorded use of the name Riona can be traced back to the 12th century, where it appears in ancient Irish manuscripts and genealogical records. However, the name was relatively uncommon during this time and was primarily used by Irish noble families and clans.
In the 16th century, the name Riona gained some popularity among the Irish aristocracy, particularly in the provinces of Connacht and Munster. One notable figure from this period was Riona O'Brien (c. 1550-1620), a noblewoman and landowner from County Clare, who played a significant role in the Irish Confederate Wars of the 1640s.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the name Riona became more widespread in Ireland, though it remained relatively rare outside of the country. In the late 19th century, the Irish literary revival and the rise of Irish nationalism contributed to a renewed interest in traditional Irish names, including Riona.
One of the most famous historical figures to bear the name Riona was Riona Ni Mheadhra (1875-1958), an Irish language scholar and writer from County Mayo. She was a prominent figure in the Gaelic Revival movement and played a crucial role in preserving and promoting the Irish language and culture.
Another notable Riona was Riona Ui Fhearghail (1900-1980), an Irish politician and activist who served as a member of the Irish Parliament (Dáil Éireann) from 1923 to 1957. She was a staunch advocate for women's rights and played a pivotal role in the struggle for Irish independence.
In more recent times, the name Riona has gained popularity outside of Ireland, particularly in English-speaking countries with large Irish diasporas, such as the United States, Canada, and Australia. One notable modern figure is Riona Treacy (born 1984), an Irish-American professional soccer player who has represented the United States national team.
While the name Riona has ancient roots and a rich cultural heritage, it remains a relatively uncommon name globally. However, its unique and melodic sound has contributed to its enduring appeal among those seeking a distinctive Irish name with a strong historical resonance.
People
Riona + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Riona 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
Riona: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Riona?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 561 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Riona 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 610,970 US residents.
Is Riona a common name?
We classify Riona as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 567 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Riona most popular?
The single biggest year for Riona was 2015, when 33 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Riona is about 14 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Riona a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Riona 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.