Rio is a unisex name with a modern feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Rio means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Rio across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Rio has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Rio is a unisex name of Spanish origin meaning “river”. From the Spanish and Portuguese word for river.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 7,812 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 7,362 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 646 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 205 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 190 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 Rio per year, United States (1920 to 2025). United States peaked in 2024 (704/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2011 (379/yr) · Scotland peaked in 2023 (51/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2023 (20/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2020 (19/yr).
Rio has been a fairly common baby name in the United States. It was most common in 2024, when it ranked #899 nationally (given to 1,092 babies that year).
Roy · Ray · Rae · Rey · Riya · Ria · Rue · Rya
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