Given name & surname · also Irish Gaelic
Ryan
“the little ruler; little king”
Ryan is used as a given name and a surname. One interpretation is “the little ruler; little king.” Its derivation is not certain.
Meaning & origin
What it means
One interpretation is “the little ruler; little king.” Its derivation is not certain.
Where it comes from
A possible origin is Irish Gaelic, although the derivation remains uncertain.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1906. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Ryan through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 991,747
- 964,123 boys · 27,624 girls
- Most popular year
- 1985
- 30,475 babies
- 2025
- 3,925
- #99 for boys · #715 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −40%
- Cooling
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 90% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 3,532 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 99 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 40.1% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 29,905 in 1985. It also appeared in 393 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (456). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 874,269 as a first name in 2020; 137,599 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.
Ryan’s family of names
In English usage, Ryan has a nickname in Rye. Ryan has a feminine form in Riane. Ryan has a related form in Rian.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Ryan has relatives in 7 languages. Lines run from its Irish roots to each of them.
9 related names in 7 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 18
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 5
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 8
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Ryan
- Ryan ReynoldsCanadian-American actor (born 1976)
- Ryan GoslingCanadian actor (born 1980)
- Ryan GiggsWelsh association football player and coachborn 1973
- Ryan BabelDutch association football player (born 1986)
- Ryan PhillippeAmerican actorborn 1974
- Ryan LochteAmerican swimmerborn 1984
- Ryan GravenberchDutch association football player (born 2002)
- Ryan BertrandEnglish association football playerborn 1989
- Ryan CooglerAmerican filmmaker (born 1986)
Characters named Ryan: Ryan Atwood (The O.C.), Ryan Chappelle (24), Ryan Sinclair (Doctor Who), Atom (DC Comics superhero).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Ryan, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Grant
“large” · “a tall man; a great man”
>99% boys
Dillon
“resembling a lion; a faithful man”
89% boys · 11% girls
Brendan
“born to royalty; a prince”
>99% boys
Logan
“from the hollow” · “from the little hollow”
91% boys · 9% girls
Tristan
Tristan is used as a given name and a surname. One Celtic interpretation is “a sorrowful man; in Arthurian legend, a knight of the Round Table.”
98% boys · 2% girls
Brian
“noble” · “of noble birth”
>99% boys
Liam
“the determined protector” · “will”
>99% boys
Aidan
“one who is fiery; little fire” · “a fiery young man”
99% boys · 1% girls