Riordan
Riordan is a surname of Irish origin ; Rearden and Reardon are variants of it. From rí, which means "king" and bard which means "poet", Riordan means "royal poet". In Irish tradition, the poet was very highly regarded in any royal household, as he acted as a scholar, historian and advisor to the king.
Meaning & Origin of Riordan
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Riordan is a surname of Irish origin ; Rearden and Reardon are variants of it. From rí, which means "king" and bard which means "poet", Riordan means "royal poet". In Irish tradition, the poet was very highly regarded in any royal household, as he acted as a scholar, historian and advisor to the king.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Riordan
Riordan first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1986, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2013, when 18 Riordans were born — ranking #4,979 that year. As of 2026, Riordan ranks #7,285 for baby boys with 11 births, with steady use. In total, more than 285 Riordans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Riordan
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Ann Fienup-Riordan (born 1948), American cultural anthropologist
- Bill Riordan (1908–1973), Australian politician from Queensland; minister for the navy 1946–1949
- Daniel J. Riordan (1870–1923), American politician from New York; U.S. representative 1899–1923
- Daniel Riordan (born 1984), Irish professional rugby union player
- Daniel Riordan (born 1958), American voice actor
- Darby Riordan (1888–1936), Australian politician from Queensland; member of the House of Representatives 1929–36
- Derek Riordan (born 1983), Scottish professional football player
- Fergus Riordan (born 1997), Spanish actor
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Riordan
Phonetically similar names — useful when Riordan is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Riordan
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About the name Riordan
Riordan is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1986 and has accumulated 285 births in the dataset. Riordan's peak popularity came in 2013 when it ranked #4,979. Use the chart and map above to compare Riordan's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2013 →
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- Top names of 2026 →
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.