Ryuk
An English transcription of a Japanese name meaning "drift" or "stray".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Ryuk. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Ryuk today is around 4 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ryuk births was 2022 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ryuk. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Ryuk. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2022
5 babies that year
Average age
4
years old
2022 SSA rank
#13,949
Tracked since 2022
Popularity
Ryuk: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Ryuk 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 Ryuk during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Ryuk
The name Ryuk is of Japanese origin, derived from the Japanese word "ryūku" which means "dragon's cry" or "dragon's roar." The name has roots dating back to ancient Japanese mythology and folklore, where dragons were revered as powerful and mystical creatures.
In Japanese mythology, dragons were often associated with water, rain, and storms, and their roars were believed to bring about thunderstorms and natural disasters. The name Ryuk was likely given to children with the hope that they would grow up to be strong and powerful, like the mighty dragons of legend.
The earliest recorded use of the name Ryuk can be traced back to the Heian period (794-1185 CE) in Japan. During this time, the name was often given to samurai warriors and members of the nobility, as a symbol of strength and courage.
One of the earliest known historical figures to bear the name Ryuk was Ryuk no Taira, a famous samurai who lived in the late 12th century. He was a member of the powerful Taira clan and fought in the Genpei War, a conflict that ultimately led to the establishment of the Kamakura Shogunate.
Another notable figure with the name Ryuk was Ryuk Matsudaira, a daimyo (feudal lord) who lived in the 16th century during the Sengoku period. He was known for his military prowess and loyalty to the Tokugawa clan, and played a crucial role in the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600.
In the realm of literature, the name Ryuk appears in the ancient Japanese epic "The Tale of the Heike," which chronicles the struggle between the Taira and Minamoto clans in the late 12th century. The character of Ryuk is portrayed as a fierce and fearless warrior who fought bravely for the Taira clan.
Another notable figure with the name Ryuk was Ryuk Hayashi, a renowned Japanese painter and calligrapher who lived during the Edo period (1603-1868). His works were highly regarded for their beauty and technical mastery, and he is considered one of the greatest artists of his time.
In more recent history, Ryuk Hirama was a Japanese politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the early 20th century. He played a crucial role in negotiating international treaties and shaping Japan's foreign policy during a turbulent period in the country's history.
People
Ryuk + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ryuk 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
Ryuk: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ryuk?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ryuk 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Ryuk a common name?
We classify Ryuk as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ryuk most popular?
The single biggest year for Ryuk was 2022, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ryuk is about 4 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 Ryuk in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Ryuk a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ryuk 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 Ryuk still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Ryuk 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 Ryuk 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 people share the name Ryuk?
Want to know how many people have the name Ryuk? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.