Ryan

Updated: October 13, 2023 by Stephanie Graham

Ryan is an Irish baby name meaning “little king” that's been popular in the US since the early 70’s. In the US, the name is used for both boys and girls.

Meaning and Origin of the name Ryan:

Ryan is an English boy's name of Irish origin meaning “little king.”

Ryan is the English spelling of the Irish boy’s name Rian. Ryan is also an Irish surname. In Gaelic, the word rí means “king.” Many sources say that Ryan means “little king;” however, this name is so ancient that the true meaning of the name has been lost.

Symbolism of the name Ryan:

Ryan is a name meaning kingliness. In Irish history, the symbol of kings is the harp.

Nicknames for the name Ryan:

Ryan is a short name with only a couple of nicknames. Ryan can be shortened to Ry, and some people repeat the first syllable and use the nickname Ry-Ry. If you are looking for other options for nicknames, you may want to look at the list of fun nicknames.

Ry
Ry-Ry

Fun Nicknames for the name Ryan:

Because Ryan doesn't have many options for nicknames, you may want to a fun or quirky nickname. Here is a list of some fun nicknames for Ryan.

Ryanasarurs Rex
Ryan the Lion
Ry-Guy
Ry-Pie
Rye bread
Rybo

Style of the name Ryan:

Traditional

Gender of the name Ryan:

Ryan is a masculine baby name, but it began to become popular in the United States as a feminine given name in the 1970s.

Pronunciation of the name Ryan:

RIE-ən

Number of syllables in the name Ryan:

Two

Emotion evoked from the name Ryan:

Ryan evokes feelings of strength and honesty.

Alternative spellings for the name Ryan:

Rian
Ryann

Popularity of the name Ryan:

According to the Social Security Administration, Ryan has been a popular boy’s name that stayed in the top 50 names between 1972 and 2018. As a girl’s name, Ryan is much less popular peaking at #342 in 1986.