UK girl's name
Rhiannan
A feminine variant of the name Rhiannon of Welsh mythology.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2010. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Rhiannan is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Rhiannan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2010 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5707, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1999, with 22 births.
This profile covers 192 England and Wales registrations across 15 recorded years from 1996 to 2010. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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 14% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 220 living people in the UK are called Rhiannan. 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 2011 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Rhiannan ranked #5707 for girls in England and Wales in 2010, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1999, when 22 girls were registered as Rhiannan.
- • Rhiannan ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #668 in 2009.
- • About 220 living people in the UK are estimated to have Rhiannan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5707
2010
Births in 2010
3
Latest year
Peak year
1999
22 births
Estimated living
220
2026
Meaning
What does Rhiannan mean?
The name Rhiannan originates from the Welsh language and is believed to have roots in the ancient Celtic culture. It is thought to be derived from the Welsh word "rhiain," meaning "great queen" or "princess." This suggests that the name may have been associated with royalty or nobility in its earliest usage.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 5th century, when it was mentioned in the Welsh epic poem "Y Gododdin." This ancient text, which recounts the story of a British war-band from the region of modern-day Edinburgh, includes a reference to a character named Rhiannawg, which is believed to be an early variant of the name Rhiannan.
In the 12th century, the name gained prominence through its association with the legendary figure of Rhiannon, a central character in the Mabinogion, a collection of medieval Welsh tales. Rhiannon is portrayed as a beautiful and powerful figure who marries a prince and becomes entangled in a complex narrative involving magic, betrayal, and redemption.
Notable historical figures who bore the name Rhiannan include Rhiannan Ferch Dafydd (c. 1350), a Welsh noblewoman and landowner during the late medieval period. Another notable bearer of the name was Rhiannan Verch Hywel (c. 1450), a Welsh poet and storyteller who was renowned for her contributions to the preservation of Welsh culture and language.
In the 16th century, Rhiannan Verch Ieuan (c. 1520-1580) was a prominent Welsh herbalist and healer, known for her extensive knowledge of traditional Welsh medicinal practices. Her legacy as a skilled practitioner of herbal remedies and folk medicine has been documented in various historical accounts.
Moving into the 19th century, Rhiannan Jones (1825-1901) was a Welsh educator and advocate for women's rights. She established several schools in Wales and was instrumental in promoting educational opportunities for girls and women during a time when access to education was limited for females.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the name Rhiannan, a name with deep roots in Welsh culture and mythology, reflecting its association with royalty, nobility, and the preservation of cultural traditions.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Rhiannan over time
The chart below shows babies named Rhiannan registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2010. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Rhiannan, the clearest high point is 1999. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2010, compared with 22 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rhiannan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Rhiannan 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 | #5707 | 3 | 1 |
| 2000s | #2065 | 128 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1304 | 61 | 4 |
Geography
Where Rhiannan is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Rhiannan. 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.
Rhiannan ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #668 in 2009.
Across the UK
Rhiannan in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#668 in 2009
7 years of NRS records, 29 total registered
Related
Names similar to Rhiannan
- Ruby 60,551
- Rebecca 45,764
- Rosie 35,558
- Rachel 19,034
- Rose 18,043
- Robyn 14,556
- Rosa 6,236
- Rhiannon 6,180
- Rachael 4,702
- Rebekah 4,395
- Rhianna 4,177
- Ruth 4,118
FAQ
Rhiannan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Rhiannan in the UK right now?
In 2010, Rhiannan was ranked #5707 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Rhiannan most popular?
The peak year on record was 1999, with 22 babies registered as Rhiannan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Rhiannan?
A feminine variant of the name Rhiannon of Welsh mythology.
How many people are called Rhiannan in the UK?
A total of 192 babies have been registered as Rhiannan across the 15 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 29 more in Scotland.
Where is Rhiannan most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Rhiannan ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #668 in 2009. 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.