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🌿 PopularBoy nameIrish (Gaelic)

Ryan

“Little king”

1 syllable · 4 letters

About the name Ryan

Ryan was one of the great surname conversions of the twentieth century, jumping from an Irish family name to a top-twenty first name in barely two generations. Its long decline from that peak has been so gradual that it never quite became a period marker the way Jason or Brandon did.

Ryan is a boy name of Irish (Gaelic) origin, pronounced RY-un. On the NameRarity scale it scores 20 out of 100, which places it in the popular band — a well-used favourite — expect to share it occasionally. Its strongest period was the 1980s.

Associated with
affablecompetitiveloyalunpretentious

Name facts at a glance

Meaning
Little king
Origin
Irish (Gaelic)
Gender
Boy
Pronunciation
RY-un
Syllables
1
Letters
4
US rank
#80
Peak era
1980s
Rarity
20 / 100
Per million
~1,580
Starts with
R
Numerology
22 · The Master Builder

How popular is Ryan?

Popularity80/100
Rarity20/100

Ryan sits at approximately #80 in recent US rankings. Roughly 1,580 people per million carry it — about 1 in 633. In a school of 1,000 pupils you would expect around 2.

Famous people named Ryan

  • Ryan Reynolds
    Canadian actor
  • Ryan Gosling
    Canadian actor

Spellings and variants of Ryan

RianRyenRyon

Names similar to Ryan

Very Rare

Rayan

RY-aan

Little king, one who is fresh and thriving

Sanskrit78% rare
Very Rare

Rian

REE-un

Little king; also read as a beam of light

Sanskrit80% rare
Rare

Ronan

ROH-nun

Little seal

Irish (Gaelic)58% rare
Rare

Aryan

AR-yun

Noble, honourable; a person of refined conduct

Sanskrit56% rare
Uncommon

Rowan

ROH-an

Little red one; rowan tree

Irish (Gaelic)42% rare
Very Popular

Aiden

AY-den

Little fire

Irish (Gaelic)12% rare
Uncommon

Brian

BRY-un

Noble, high

Irish (Gaelic)42% rare
Ultra Rare

Jiyan

jee-YAAN

Life, one who lives fully

Hindi92% rare
Browse all 1,284 names →

Ryan — frequently asked questions

What does the name Ryan mean?

Ryan means "Little king". It is a name of Irish (Gaelic) origin, most often given to a boy.

How do you pronounce Ryan?

Ryan is pronounced RY-un, with 1 syllable.

How rare is the name Ryan?

Ryan scores 20 out of 100 on the NameRarity scale, which makes it popular. Roughly 1 in every 633 people carry it — about 1,580 per million.

What is the numerology number for Ryan?

Ryan carries the expression number 22, known as The Master Builder. Its soul urge number is 1 and its personality number is 3.

What is the lucky number and lucky colour for Ryan?

The lucky number for Ryan is 22 (with 4, 13, 31 also favourable), and its lucky colour is Antique Copper. The traditional lucky day is Saturday and the associated gemstone is Tiger's Eye.

Is Ryan a popular name?

Ryan currently sits around rank #80 in the United States, and its strongest period was the 1980s.