Given name & surname
Ryu
“a dragon”
Ryu is used as a given name and a surname. One Japanese interpretation is “a dragon.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Japanese interpretation is “a dragon.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Japanese.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1985. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Ryu through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,690
- 1,685 boys · 5 girls
- Most popular year
- 2012
- 130 babies
- 2025
- 59
- #2,352 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +22%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 59 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 2,352 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 20.2% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 130 in 2012. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (16). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,219 as a first name in 2020; 3,194 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.
Ryu’s family of names
In English usage, Ryu as a surname shares an earlier linguistic root with Yong. In English usage, Ryu as a surname has a related form in YOO. In English usage, Ryu as a surname shares an earlier linguistic root with Long.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 4
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Ryu
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Ryu, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Ryuji
“the dragon man”
>99% boys
Saku
“remembrance of the Lord” · “the remembrance of the Lord”
>99% boys
Subaru
Subaru is a masculine given name from Japanese. It is used in English, Spanish, and Dutch.
>99% boys
Ronin
“a Samurai who doesn't have a master”
98% boys · 2% girls
Hikaru
Hikaru is a unisex given name from Japanese.
>99% boys
Hayato
Hayato is a masculine given name from Japanese. It is used in English and Czech.
>99% boys
Zen
“one who is enlightened”
79% boys · 21% girls
Shinji
Shinji is a masculine given name from Japanese. It is used in French.
>99% boys