Girl · #13,427 in 2026

Riata

Name: Popularity of the name Riata in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Riata, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

A lasso or lazo, also called reata or la reata in Mexico, and in the United States riata or lariat, is a loop of rope designed as a restraint to be thrown around a target and tightened when pulled. It is a well-known tool of the Mexican and South American cowboys, which was then adopted from the Mexicans by the cowboys of the United States.

Current Rank

#13,427

Peak Rank

#8,053 (2014)

Total Babies

137

5-Yr Trend

-26%

1990

First Year

2024

Last Year

2014

Peak Year

#8053

Peak Rank

137

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Riata

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology

The word lasso seems to have begun to be used as an English word in the early nineteenth century. It may have originated from the Castilian word lazo , which is first attested in the thirteenth century in the sense 'noose, snare', and derives in turn from classical Latin laqueus ('noose, snare, trap, bond, tie'). In Spain a “reata” is a group of donkeys, mules, or horses tied together The rope or lasso used to restrain cattle is also called Reata or La Reata in Mexico, which was Anglicized to “Lariat” or “Riata” in the United States. In Mexico reata is basically used as a synonym for rope, a c

Origin & history

Main article: Trick roping Cacería del Toro Cimarron (Hunting Wild Bulls in Colonial Mexico, 1582) Cattle roping from horseback originated in Hispanic America between the late 16th and early 17th centuries, although the precise origin is unknown, and developed throughout the next 200 years. Before the development of roping, the original tool of the early cowherds (vaqueros) of the Americas was the desjarretadera , a lance with a crescent moon shaped blade at one of its ends used to incapacitate cattle by cutting their hocks or hamstrings. Known in English as a “hocking knife”, “desjarretadera”

The Story of Riata

Riata first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1990, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2014, when 14 Riatas were born — ranking #8,053 that year. As of 2026, Riata ranks #13,427 for baby girls with 6 births, falling sharply (-26%). In total, more than 137 Riatas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Riata

Phonetically similar names — useful when Riata is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Reata
Rita
Reeta
Rotta
Ryota
Rasta
Realty
Regatta
Reat
Rata
Rada
Renata

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Riata

What does the name Riata mean?

How popular is Riata in 2026?

In 2026, Riata ranks #13,427 among girls' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.

When was Riata most popular?

Riata reached its peak popularity in 2014, ranking #8,053 that year with 14 babies given the name.

Is Riata a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Riata is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.

What names go well with Riata?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Riata include Cyrene, Duchess, Aoi. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Riata

Riata is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1990 and has accumulated 137 births in the dataset. Riata's peak popularity came in 2014 when it ranked #8,053. Use the chart and map above to compare Riata's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.