Ryan is an Irish baby name meaning “little king” that's been popular in the US since the early 70’s. In the US, the name is used for both boys and girls.

Meaning of the name Ryan:

Irish: little king, illustrious

Origin of the name Ryan:

Ryan is the English spelling of the Irish boy’s name Rian meaning “little king” or “illustrious”.

Symbolism of the name Ryan:

Ryan is a name meaning kingliness. In Irish history, the symbol of kings is the harp.

Style of the name Ryan:

traditional

Gender of the name Ryan:

Ryan is a masculine baby name, but it began to become popular in the United States as a feminine given name in the 1970s.

Pronunciation of the name Ryan:

RIE-ən

Number of syllables in the name Ryan:

two

Emotion evoked from the name Ryan:

Ryan evokes feelings of strength and honesty.

Alternative spellings for the name Ryan:

Rian, Ryann

Nicknames for the name Ryan:

  • Ry

Popularity of the name Ryan:

According to the Social Security Administration, Ryan has been a popular boy’s name that stayed in the top 50 names between 1972 and 2018. As a girl’s name, Ryan is much less popular peaking at #342 in 1986.

Related names for the name Ryan:

Great middle names for the name Ryan and their meanings:

Boys:

Girls:

Famous people with the name Ryan:

  • Ryan Fitzpatrick (American football player)
  • Ryan Adams (American singer/songwriter)
  • Ryan Earl Merriman (American actor)
  • Ryan Dallas Cook (American musician)
  • Ryan Seacrest (American television host)

Ryans in popular culture:

  • Ryan Evans (television, High School Musical series)
  • Ryan Howard (television, “The Office”)
  • Ryan Sinclair (television, “Doctor Who”)
  • Ryan Wolfe (television, “CSI: Miami”)