Boy · #96 in 2026

Ryan

Ryan is an English-language given name of Irish origin. Traditionally a male name, it has been used increasingly for both boys and girls since the 1970s. It comes from the surname Ryan, which is typically an anglicisation of the Irish surname Ó Riaghain / Ó Riain. Popular modern sources typically suggest that the name means "champion" and "little king", but the original meaning is unknown.

Current Rank
#96
Peak Rank
#11 (1985)
Total Babies
968K
5-Yr Trend
-37%
1959
First Year
2026
Last Year
2018
Peak Year
#342
Peak Rank
28K
Total Count
65
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Ryan

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

Ryan is an English-language given name of Irish origin. Traditionally a male name, it has been used increasingly for both boys and girls since the 1970s. It comes from the surname Ryan, which is typically an anglicisation of the Irish surname Ó Riaghain / Ó Riain. Popular modern sources typically suggest that the name means "champion" and "little king", but the original meaning is unknown.

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

The Story of Ryan

Ryan first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1906, with 10 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1985, when 29,909 Ryans were born — ranking #12 that year. As of 2026, Ryan ranks #96 for baby boys with 3,510 births, falling sharply (-37%). In total, more than 968K Ryans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1900s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Ryan

Phonetically similar names — useful when Ryan 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 Ryan

What does the name Ryan mean?
Ryan is an English-language given name of Irish origin. Traditionally a male name, it has been used increasingly for both boys and girls since the 1970s. It comes from the surname Ryan, which is typically an anglicisation of the Irish surname Ó Riaghain / Ó Riain. Popular modern sources typically suggest that the name means "champion" and "little king", but the original meaning is unknown.
How popular is Ryan in 2026?
In 2026, Ryan ranks #96 among boys' names in the U.S., with 3,510 babies given the name that year.
When was Ryan most popular?
Ryan reached its peak popularity in 1985, ranking #11 that year with 29,909 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Ryan most popular?
Ryan has historically been most popular in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Ryan.
Is Ryan a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Ryan is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Ryan?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Ryan include Willie, Jack, Levi. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

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About the name Ryan

Ryan is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1906 and has accumulated 968K births in the dataset. Ryan's peak popularity came in 1985 when it ranked #11. Use the chart and map above to compare Ryan'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.