Rian
A re-Gaelicisation of the given name Ryan, which comes from the Irish surname Ó Riaghain / Ó Riain (literally “descendant of Riaghan / Rian”).
Every Rian since 1948 — 9,118 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Rian
Rian is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #1,250 in 2025 with 160 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1948, 9,118 American babies have been named Rian — about 62% boys and 38% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2021, when 280 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Rian stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Rian year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 29 | #4,730 | 160 | #1,250 |
| 2024 | 50 | #3,216 | 156 | #1,268 |
| 2023 | 55 | #3,041 | 170 | #1,190 |
| 2022 | 72 | #2,509 | 153 | #1,268 |
| 2021 | 78 | #2,340 | 202 | #1,063 |
| 2020 | 81 | #2,238 | 165 | #1,169 |
| 2019 | 115 | #1,785 | 126 | #1,405 |
| 2018 | 122 | #1,703 | 148 | #1,251 |
| 2017 | 95 | #2,070 | 183 | #1,077 |
| 2016 | 93 | #2,113 | 153 | #1,228 |
| 2015 | 88 | #2,163 | 124 | #1,394 |
| 2014 | 90 | #2,136 | 130 | #1,339 |
| 2013 | 83 | #2,255 | 121 | #1,397 |
| 2012 | 94 | #2,059 | 123 | #1,374 |
| 2011 | 82 | #2,294 | 111 | #1,474 |
| 2010 | 86 | #2,250 | 106 | #1,533 |
| 2009 | 94 | #2,144 | 123 | #1,387 |
| 2008 | 104 | #2,018 | 140 | #1,249 |
| 2007 | 128 | #1,710 | 128 | #1,331 |
| 2006 | 149 | #1,487 | 120 | #1,358 |
| 2005 | 129 | #1,587 | 93 | #1,534 |
| 2004 | 119 | #1,638 | 104 | #1,382 |
| 2003 | 94 | #1,945 | 126 | #1,185 |
| 2002 | 89 | #1,982 | 85 | #1,495 |
| 2001 | 84 | #2,030 | 98 | #1,335 |
| 2000 | 80 | #2,073 | 95 | #1,350 |
| 1995 | 48 | #2,614 | 52 | #1,729 |
| 1990 | 40 | #2,883 | 90 | #1,145 |
| 1985 | 37 | #2,639 | 50 | #1,387 |
| 1980 | 37 | #2,581 | 70 | #1,087 |
| 1975 | 17 | #3,901 | 52 | #1,176 |
| 1970 | — | — | 22 | #1,925 |
| 1965 | — | — | 9 | #2,940 |
| 1960 | — | — | 19 | #1,896 |
| 1955 | — | — | 28 | #1,479 |
| 1950 | — | — | 5 | #4,103 |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Rian
- Rian Johnson Film director · b. 1973
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Rian mean?
A re-Gaelicisation of the given name Ryan, which comes from the Irish surname Ó Riaghain / Ó Riain (literally “descendant of Riaghan / Rian”).
How popular is the name Rian in 2025?
Rian ranked #1,250 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 160 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Rian?
9,118 babies have been named Rian in the United States since 1948, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Rian most popular?
Rian peaked in 2021, when 280 newborns received the name.
Is Rian a boy or girl name?
Rian is used for both: about 38% of babies named Rian have been girls and 62% boys.
Is the name Rian rising or falling?
Rian is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Rian?
Well-known people named Rian include Rian Johnson (film director).