Rian is a unisex name with a rare feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Rian means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Rian across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Rian has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Rian is a unisex name of Irish (Gaelic) origin meaning “little king”. An Irish spelling of Ryan.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 9,118 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 1,937 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 324 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 528 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 3,118 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Rian per year, United States (1948 to 2025). United States peaked in 2021 (280/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2017 (257/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2025 (140/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2024 (67/yr) · Scotland peaked in 2024 (28/yr).
Rian is an uncommon baby name in the United States. It was most common in 2021, when it ranked #1,769 nationally (given to 393 babies that year).
Ryan · Rowan · Ron · Reign · Rayan · Rhianna · Ryann
Not sure if it's the one? The best way to know is to see if your partner loves it too. Swipe baby names with your partner and match on the ones you both ❤️, free, no account needed to start.
Find your name together →