Given name

Rihana

“resembling sweet basil”

Rihana is used as a given name. One Arabic interpretation is “resembling sweet basil.”

Meaning & origin

What it means

One Arabic interpretation is “resembling sweet basil.”

Where it comes from

An origin associated with this spelling is Arabic.

The story

Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1983. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.

From dated birth records

Rihana through the years

Babies since 1880
705
0 boys · 705 girls
Most popular year
2007
84 babies
2025
16
#7,074 for girls
2021–25 vs 2016–20
−2%
Steady
020406020002025Highest share 200710.0
Rihana in U.S. Social Security birth records, 1983–2025, per million girls born. Years with fewer than five births for a sex are not published and appear as zero. Use the arrow keys to step through years.

By the numbers

In 2025, this name appeared in 16 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 7,074 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 1.6% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 84 in 2007. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 718 as a first name in 2020.

From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.

Rihana’s family of names

Rihana has a related form in Rihanna. Rihana has a related form in Raihana. Rihana has a related form in Raihaana.

Walk Rihana’s family in the name graph

RihanaRihannaRaihanaRyhannaRyhanaRihannahRaihanahRathannaRaihaanaRihanahRhiannaRianaRhianaRijana

Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.

Hover or tab through the constellation to see how each name is related. Bigger dots are names more people in the U.S. share.

Nicknames & forms 9

Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.

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Across languages 4

Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.

Similar names

If you love Rihana, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.

Arabic · Modern

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17Very rareRising

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Shahina

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Persian · Modern

Minseo

Minseo is a feminine given name from Persian. It is used in French.

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Arabic · Modern

Fatimata

Fatimata is a feminine given name from Arabic. It is used in French.

12Very rareEasing

>99% girls

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Suad

Suad is a feminine given name from Arabic.

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Sibling ideas

Names that share Rihana’s feel without repeating its first letter or rhyming with it.

A brother for Rihana

A sister for Rihana