Name
Ryan
Meaning
Ryan is a masculine name of Irish origin meaning “little king (probable)”.
Ryan comes from the Irish surname Ó Riain, generally traced to rí, king, with a diminutive ending, so the everyday American favorite quietly means little king. Actors Ryan O'Neal, Ryan Gosling, and Ryan Reynolds have kept it on screen for half a century.
A US top-20 boys' name from the 1970s through the 2000s.
Popularity in the United States
Boys
Ranked #99 in 2025 · peak #11 in 1991
Data: US Social Security Administration, top-1000 ranks.
At a glance
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Questions
Ryan is a masculine name of Irish origin meaning “little king (probable)”. Ryan comes from the Irish surname Ó Riain, generally traced to rí, king, with a diminutive ending, so the everyday American favorite quietly means little king.
Ryan is traditionally a masculine (boy) name. It is a US top-20 boys' name from the 1970s through the 2000s.
The name Ryan comes from Irish. Ryan comes from the Irish surname Ó Riain, generally traced to rí, king, with a diminutive ending, so the everyday American favorite quietly means little king. Actors Ryan O'Neal, Ryan Gosling, and Ryan Reynolds have kept it on screen for half a century.
Ryan is pronounced RY-an.
More names that mean royalty
Names that share this meaning.