NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Rheanna

A feminine name of Scottish origin meaning "little maid".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2011. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Rheanna is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Rheanna popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2011 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5785, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 27 births.

This profile covers 242 England and Wales registrations across 15 recorded years from 1996 to 2011. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 11% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 262 living people in the UK are called Rheanna. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2012 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Rheanna ranked #5785 for girls in England and Wales in 2011, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1996, when 27 girls were registered as Rheanna.
  • Rheanna ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #339 in 2002.
  • About 262 living people in the UK are estimated to have Rheanna as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5785

2011

Births in 2011

3

Latest year

Peak year

1996

27 births

Estimated living

262

2026

Meaning

What does Rheanna mean?

The name Rheanna is a unique and intriguing moniker with a rich tapestry of history and cultural influences. Its origins can be traced back to the ancient Celtic languages, specifically the Gaelic tongues spoken in Ireland and Scotland.

The name is believed to be a variant of the name Rhianna, which itself is derived from the Irish Gaelic word "rí," meaning "king" or "sovereign." This regal connection hints at the name's association with nobility and leadership in its earliest iterations.

In the annals of Irish history, the name Rheanna can be found in various ancient manuscripts and records, although its earliest documented usage remains shrouded in the mists of time. One notable figure bearing this name was Rheanna of Munster, a 10th-century Irish princess renowned for her beauty and grace.

As the centuries passed, the name spread beyond the Emerald Isle, finding a foothold in other parts of Europe and the broader Western world. Rheanna Giordano, an Italian noblewoman from the 15th century, was a prominent figure in the Renaissance courts of Italy, renowned for her patronage of the arts and her keen intellect.

In the realm of literature, the name Rheanna gained immortality through the works of the celebrated 19th-century Scottish novelist, Sir Walter Scott. In his iconic novel "Ivanhoe," one of the central characters, a lady-in-waiting to the fictional Queen Rowena, bears the name Rheanna, lending an air of romance and intrigue to the moniker.

The 20th century saw the name gain further recognition with the rise of notable individuals bearing it. Rheanna Starling Flemming, an American entrepreneur and philanthropist born in 1912, made her mark as a pioneer in the field of sustainable agriculture and environmental conservation.

Another influential figure was Rheanna Pappas, a Greek-American author and academic born in 1924, whose groundbreaking works on ancient Greek literature and philosophy garnered widespread acclaim in academic circles.

While the name Rheanna may not be among the most common monikers in contemporary society, its rich historical tapestry and unique blend of cultural influences continue to captivate and intrigue those who encounter it.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Rheanna over time

The chart below shows babies named Rheanna registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2011. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Rheanna, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2011, compared with 27 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Rheanna
07142027199620032011

Decades

Rheanna by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Rheanna was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2010s #5785 3 1
2000s #1840 154 10
1990s #1013 85 4

Geography

Where Rheanna is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Rheanna. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Rheanna ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #339 in 2002.

Northern Ireland
3
Scotland
3

Across the UK

Rheanna in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#744 in 2007

5 years of NRS records, 16 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#339 in 2002

2 years of NISRA records, 6 total registered

Related

Names similar to Rheanna

FAQ

Rheanna: questions and answers

How popular is the name Rheanna in the UK right now?

In 2011, Rheanna was ranked #5785 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Rheanna most popular?

The peak year on record was 1996, with 27 babies registered as Rheanna in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Rheanna?

A feminine name of Scottish origin meaning "little maid".

How many people are called Rheanna in the UK?

A total of 242 babies have been registered as Rheanna across the 15 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 16 more in Scotland and 6 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Rheanna most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Rheanna ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #339 in 2002. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.