UK girl's name
Rhiannon
A feminine name of Welsh origin meaning "great queen" or "divine goddess".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Rhiannon is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Rhiannon popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1198, with 28 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1998, with 657 births.
This profile covers 6,180 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. 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 4% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 7,215 living people in the UK are called Rhiannon. 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 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Rhiannon ranked #1198 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 28 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1998, when 657 girls were registered as Rhiannon.
- • Rhiannon ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #366 in 2010.
- • About 7,215 living people in the UK are estimated to have Rhiannon as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1198
2024
Births in 2024
28
Latest year
Peak year
1998
657 births
Estimated living
7,215
2026
Meaning
What does Rhiannon mean?
The name Rhiannon is of Welsh origin, derived from the Celtic mythological figure Rhiannon, a prominent character in the Mabinogion, a collection of medieval Welsh tales. The name is believed to be derived from the Welsh word "rhian," meaning "great queen" or "divine queen."
Rhiannon was a powerful and mysterious figure in Welsh mythology, often associated with horses and birds. She was the wife of Pwyll, the prince of Dyfed, and was known for her beauty, intelligence, and magical abilities. Her story is recounted in the tale of "Pwyll, Prince of Dyfed," where she is falsely accused of killing her newborn son and is subsequently punished by being forced to carry guests on her back from the gate to the court.
The name Rhiannon has been recorded in various spellings throughout history, including Rhiannyn, Rhianen, and Rianonnen. One of the earliest recorded examples of the name is found in the Mabinogion itself, which dates back to the 12th or 13th century.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Rhiannon. One of the most famous was Rhiannon Frampton (1945-2008), a British singer and songwriter known for her work with the rock band The Mamas & the Papas. Another notable Rhiannon was Rhiannon Ifans (1895-1979), a Welsh writer and nationalist who played a significant role in the Welsh literary revival of the 20th century.
In the field of literature, Rhiannon Jenkins Tsang (born 1958) is a British author and poet known for her works exploring Chinese and Welsh identities. Additionally, Rhiannon Giddens (born 1977) is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who has gained recognition for her work in reviving African American folk music traditions.
Another notable figure bearing the name Rhiannon was Rhiannon Batten (1986-2008), a British Olympic gymnast who represented Great Britain at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
While the name Rhiannon has its roots in Welsh mythology and culture, it has gained popularity worldwide, particularly in English-speaking countries. Its unique sound and rich historical background have contributed to its enduring appeal as a given name.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Rhiannon over time
The chart below shows babies named Rhiannon registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Rhiannon, the clearest high point is 1998. The latest England and Wales figure is 28 births in 2024, compared with 657 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rhiannon by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Rhiannon 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #1425 | 111 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1049 | 397 | 10 |
| 2000s | #184 | 3,180 | 10 |
| 1990s | #86 | 2,492 | 4 |
Geography
Where Rhiannon is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Rhiannon. 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.
Rhiannon ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #366 in 2010.
Across the UK
Rhiannon in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#482 in 2023
46 years of NRS records, 873 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#366 in 2010
14 years of NISRA records, 212 total registered
Related
Names similar to Rhiannon
- Ruby 60,551
- Rebecca 45,764
- Rosie 35,558
- Rachel 19,034
- Rose 18,043
- Robyn 14,556
- Rosa 6,236
- Rachael 4,702
- Rebekah 4,395
- Rhianna 4,177
- Ruth 4,118
- Ria 3,900
FAQ
Rhiannon: questions and answers
How popular is the name Rhiannon in the UK right now?
In 2024, Rhiannon was ranked #1198 for girls in England and Wales, with 28 births registered.
When was Rhiannon most popular?
The peak year on record was 1998, with 657 babies registered as Rhiannon in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Rhiannon?
A feminine name of Welsh origin meaning "great queen" or "divine goddess".
How many people are called Rhiannon in the UK?
A total of 6,180 babies have been registered as Rhiannon across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 873 more in Scotland and 212 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Rhiannon most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Rhiannon ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #366 in 2010. 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.