Boy · #512 in 2026

Ronin

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

In feudal Japan to early modern Japan (1185–1868), a rōnin was a samurai who had no lord or master and in some cases, had also severed all links with his family or clan. A samurai became a rōnin upon the death of his master, or after the loss of his master's favor or legal privilege.

Current Rank

#512

Peak Rank

#390 (2020)

Total Babies

11K

5-Yr Trend

-4%

2006

First Year

2026

Last Year

2020

Peak Year

#5313

Peak Rank

220

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Ronin

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 rōnin is usually translated to 'drifter' or 'wanderer'; however, per kanji , rō ( 浪 ) means "wave" as on the water, as well as "unrestrained, dissolute", while nin ( 人 ) means "person". It is an idiomatic expression for 'vagrant' or 'wanderer', someone who does not belong to one place. The term originated in the Nara and Heian periods, when it referred to a serf who had fled or deserted his master's land. It later came to be used for a samurai who had no master. In medieval times, the ronin were depicted as the shadows of samurai, master-less and not honorable.

Origin & history

Graves of the forty-seven rōnin at Sengaku-ji Until the Sengoku period , peasants accounted for the majority of daimyō armies, so they accounted for the majority of ronin. [ citation needed ] Especially in the Sengoku period, daimyō needed additional fighting men, and even if a master had perished, his rōnin was able to serve new lords. In contrast to the later Edo period , the bond between the lord and the vassal was loose, and some vassals who were dissatisfied with their treatment left their masters and sought new lords. Many warriors served a succession of masters, and some even became dai

The Story of Ronin

Ronin first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1998, with 10 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2020, when 790 Ronins were born — ranking #390 that year. As of 2026, Ronin ranks #512 for baby boys with 593 births, holding steady (-4%). In total, more than 11K Ronins 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 Ronin

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

Ronan
Ronen
Rennin
Roman
Renin
Renan
Romon
Rennen
Running
Raining
Roaming
Renown

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Ronin

What does the name Ronin mean?

How popular is Ronin in 2026?

In 2026, Ronin ranks #512 among boys' names in the U.S., with 593 babies given the name that year.

When was Ronin most popular?

Ronin reached its peak popularity in 2020, ranking #390 that year with 790 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Ronin most popular?

Ronin has historically been most popular in Alaska, Montana, Hawaii. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Ronin.

Is Ronin a unisex name?

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

What names go well with Ronin?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Ronin include Dangelo, Izaiah, Pierre. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Ronin

Ronin is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1998 and has accumulated 11K births in the dataset. Ronin's peak popularity came in 2020 when it ranked #390. Use the chart and map above to compare Ronin'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.