Ryan

Ryan is a gender-neutral name of Irish origin. A variant of the Rían, Rian, and Riain, Ryan is said to translate to “little king” from the Old Irish word rí followed by a diminutive suffix. However, this name is so old that historians and etymologists claim Ryan's true meaning is lost to time.

Of course, your little leader is going to be treated like royalty as soon as they enter your family. As they make their path through life, the name Ryan is sure to remind them to wear their confidence like a crown. Despite its long-standing usage as a name, Ryan has contemporary appeal mixed in with its retro style. The Bump member Helenahhandbasket describes Ryan's vibe well: "I would consider this name more of a modern classic than a true classic. I get a '90s vibe from it."

Fun Facts About the Name Ryan

• The 30-year Top 20 streak: Ryan managed to achieve what not many names can—it stayed in the Top 20 US boy names for over 30 years straight. From 1976 to 2009, Ryan saw names come and go from this uber-competitive group while keeping its seat among the most popular names in the US.
• Ryan's long-standing gender-neutral history: While Ryan as a girl name might seem like part of the modern movement of boy-turned-girl names, parents have been doing this for longer than you might realize. In the US, Ryan was used as a name for girls as early as 1959.
• America's influence on Ireland: In Ireland, Ryan was primarily a common last name and not often used as a first name. With Ryan's cultural success as a given name in the US, baby registries in Ireland saw that Irish parents were inspired and following suit from the late 20th century onwards.