Ryan
Say it: RYE-an/ˈɹaɪən/
Boy4 letters2 syllables
#57
in Ireland (2025)
#60 with spellings combined
95
babies in 2025
#6
best rank (2008)
13,104
babies since 1971
Down 42
10-year rank change
Ryan through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 95 | #60 |
| 2024 | 124 | #48 |
| 2023 | 151 | #34 |
| 2022 | 190 | #27 |
| 2021 | 172 | #35 |
| 2020 | 181 | #30 |
| 2019 | 227 | #25 |
| 2018 | 250 | #26 |
| 2017 | 260 | #24 |
| 2016 | 318 | #19 |
| 2015 | 329 | #18 |
| 2014 | 373 | #16 |
| 2013 | 459 | #7 |
| 2012 | 510 | #7 |
| 2011 | 685 | #6 |
| 2010 | 669 | #6 |
| 2009 | 641 | #6 |
| 2008 | 670 | #6 |
| 2007 | 553 | #7 |
| 2006 | 431 | #14 |
| 2005 | 432 | #12 |
| 2004 | 451 | #13 |
| 2003 | 425 | #12 |
| 2002 | 365 | #14 |
| 2001 | 349 | #18 |
| 2000 | 356 | #17 |
| 1999 | 418 | #13 |
| 1998 | 326 | #16 |
| 1997 | 437 | #17 |
| 1996 | 429 | #17 |
| 1995 | 418 | #16 |
| 1994 | 373 | #16 |
| 1993 | 295 | #25 |
| 1992 | 203 | #40 |
| 1991 | 82 | #75 |
| 1990 | 71 | #87 |
| 1989 | 47 | #101 |
| 1988 | 42 | #111 |
| 1987 | 35 | #123 |
| 1986 | 28 | #138 |
| 1985 | 26 | #138 |
| 1984 | 30 | #126 |
| 1983 | 24 | #145 |
| 1982 | 19 | #161 |
| 1981 | 27 | #147 |
| 1980 | 22 | #152 |
| 1979 | 11 | #203 |
| 1978 | 10 | #205 |
| 1977 | 13 | #184 |
| 1976 | 14 | #186 |
| 1975 | 7 | #236 |
| 1974 | 16 | #173 |
| 1973 | 8 | #227 |
| 1972 | 3 | #307 |
| 1971 | 4 | #280 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Ryan mean?
Uncertain
Irish, from the surname Ryan (Ó Riain), used as a first name since the twentieth century.
Say it right
RYEan
The story of Ryan
Ryan comes from the surname, one of the most common in Ireland. The surname is an English form of Ó Riain or Ó Riaghain, “descendant of Rian”. Popular books often say Ryan means “little king”, but the real meaning of Rian is unknown. The UCD historian John Ryan thought the name so old that its sense had been forgotten before anyone wrote it down. As a first name it spread across the English-speaking world from the 1970s.
In Ireland Ryan was first recorded in 1971. It rose fast in the 1990s and reached number 6 in 2008, holding that place until 2011. Its busiest year was 2011, with 685 babies. The Irish-language form Rian is counted by the CSO as a separate name.
Ryan did even better in Northern Ireland, where it reached 2nd place in 1997.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Ryan (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Ryan (given name)
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, Baby Names in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Ryan | 95 | 13,104 |
In Northern Ireland
#99 in 2025 with 24 babies. Best rank #2 (1997); 5,200 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.