Given name & surname · also German
Ria
“from the river's mouth”
Ria is used as a given name and a surname. One Spanish interpretation is “from the river's mouth.”
Original GermanMaria
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Spanish interpretation is “from the river's mouth.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is German.
How it developed
Ria is used as a shortened form of Maria.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1934. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Ria through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 4,115
- 0 boys · 4,115 girls
- Most popular year
- 2005
- 202 babies
- 2025
- 78
- #2,346 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −15%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 78 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 2,346 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 14.6% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 202 in 2005. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (13). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 5,123 as a first name in 2020; 160 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Ria’s family of names
In English usage, Ria is a diminutive of Maria. Ria has a related form in Riah. In German usage, Ria is a short form of Maria.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 7
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Ria
- Ria StalmanDutch discus throwerborn 1951
- Ria PercivalNew Zealand association football playerborn 1989
- Ria BaranGerman figure skater (1922–1986)
- Ria VisserDutch speed skaterborn 1961
- Ria Oomen-RuijtenDutch politicianborn 1950
- Ria ThompsonAustralian rowerborn 1997
- Ria LaihonenFinnish association football playerborn 1994
- Ria KatajaFinnish actressborn 1975
- Ria IrawanIndonesian actress (1969–2020)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Ria, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Lupita
“from the valley of wolves” · “from the river of the wolf”
>99% girls
Estrella
“star of the sea” · “resembling a star”
>99% girls
Delaney
“the dark challenger” · “from the elder-tree grove”
1% boys · 99% girls
Luz
“refers to the Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Light” · “of the moon”
1% boys · 99% girls
Xiomara
“famous in battle” · “from the glorious forest”
>99% girls
Itsasne
“of the sea”
—
Ormanda
“woman of the sea”
>99% girls
Goizane
“dawn”
>99% girls