Ryan first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Ryan has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Ryan

An Irish name derived from the surname Ryan, meaning "little king".

Popularity of Ryan by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Ryan is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 97% of people named Ryan being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 4,020 male babies and 431 female babies born with the name Ryan.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 431 baby girls were named Ryan in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 4,020 431
2022 4,372 513
2021 4,721 633
2020 5,329 684
2019 6,115 773
2018 6,934 865
2017 7,698 773
2016 8,251 688
2015 8,540 680
2014 9,094 606
2013 9,890 438
2012 10,943 467
2011 11,502 506
2010 11,974 465
2009 13,115 527
2008 14,684 574
2007 15,720 706
2006 16,431 689
2005 17,987 676
2004 19,495 700
2003 19,577 598
2002 17,659 518
2001 18,289 465
2000 20,267 448
1999 21,013 454
1998 20,198 477
1997 20,527 360
1996 21,809 382
1995 23,088 354
1994 24,057 361
1993 26,727 351
1992 27,015 377
1991 27,534 431
1990 29,254 451
1989 28,413 566
1988 27,748 615
1987 28,489 698
1986 29,523 703
1985 29,913 570
1984 28,740 543
1983 27,856 609
1982 26,690 596
1981 26,820 675
1980 24,804 602
1979 23,214 558
1978 21,326 580
1977 21,250 362
1976 17,495 163
1975 15,301 139
1974 13,186 125

The history of the first name Ryan

The name Ryan is derived from the Irish surname Ó Riain, which means "descendant of Rian". Rian is an old Irish personal name that is thought to be derived from the Celtic word "rí", meaning "king". The name Ryan has its roots in ancient Celtic culture and language.

The earliest recorded use of the name Ryan dates back to the 16th century in Ireland. It was originally a surname, but over time, it transitioned into being used as a given name as well. The name gained popularity in the English-speaking world during the 19th century.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the name Ryan was Ryan O'Mulryan, an Irish chieftain who lived in the 16th century. He was a prominent figure in the O'Mulryan clan and played a role in the Irish Confederate Wars.

Another notable Ryan in history was Liadain and Cuirithir, two Irish poets from the 7th century who were known for their tragic love story. Liadain's real name was Rian, and she is sometimes referred to as Rian Liadain.

In the 18th century, Ryan Giggs was a Welsh Anglican priest and author who wrote several works on theology and philosophy.

In the 19th century, Ryan O'Neill was an Irish nationalist and journalist who played a significant role in the Irish Home Rule movement.

One of the most famous individuals with the name Ryan in modern times is Ryan Gosling, the Canadian actor known for his roles in films such as "The Notebook", "La La Land", and "Drive". He was born in 1980.

The name Ryan has a rich history and cultural significance, particularly in Ireland and the Celtic world. It has evolved from an ancient personal name to a popular given name in many parts of the world.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Ryan was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Ryan, please contact us.

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Ryan first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/ryan-meaning-and-history/.

"Ryan first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/ryan-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 22 December, 2024

Ryan first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/ryan-meaning-and-history/.

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