Ryan
The Irish surname Ó Riain, from Rian, probably a diminutive of rí “king.”
Popularity, 1880–2025
Ryan first shows up in the national records in 1906. It has ranked among the top 100 names for American boys in every year from 1971 to 2025. Its biggest year was 1985, when 29,905 newborn boys received the name, ranking it No. 12 nationally. Its best ranking came in 1986, at No. 11. In 2025 it ranked No. 99 for boys. All told, 991,747 Americans have been given the name since 1880.
Related names
Other spellings on record: Ryann (12,109), Rian (9,118), Ryne (4,404), Ryanne (3,222), Ryen (2,391), Ryon (2,026) (total births since 1880)
Explore Ryan interactively →By the decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 10 | No. 798 |
| 1910s | 55 | No. 1537 |
| 1920s | 111 | No. 1980 |
| 1930s | 134 | No. 1458 |
| 1940s | 500 | No. 678 |
| 1950s | 1,961 | No. 397 |
| 1960s | 11,322 | No. 131 |
| 1970s | 139,635 | No. 14 |
| 1980s | 278,938 | No. 11 |
| 1990s | 241,248 | No. 11 |
| 2000s | 173,244 | No. 12 |
| 2010s | 91,006 | No. 23 |
| 2020s | 25,959 | No. 57 |
Births and rank shown for boys, the sex more often given the name. The Social Security Administration omits name–year combinations with fewer than five births.
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Data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby-name file, 1880–2025.