NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Rhona

Scottish feminine name derived from a Gaelic word meaning "rough stream".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2021. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Rhona is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Rhona popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2021 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3961, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 25 births.

This profile covers 227 England and Wales registrations across 25 recorded years from 1996 to 2021. 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 20% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 1,432 living people in the UK are called Rhona. 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 2022 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Rhona ranked #3961 for girls in England and Wales in 2021, with 5 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1996, when 25 girls were registered as Rhona.
  • Rhona ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #343 in 2001.
  • About 1,432 living people in the UK are estimated to have Rhona as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3961

2021

Births in 2021

5

Latest year

Peak year

1996

25 births

Estimated living

1,432

2026

Meaning

What does Rhona mean?

The name Rhona originates from the Scottish Gaelic language and culture. It is derived from the Old Irish word "rón," which means "seal" or "sea-creature." The name likely emerged in the medieval period, when the Gaelic language was widely spoken in Scotland and Ireland.

Rhona was a popular name among the ancient Celts, who had a deep reverence for nature and the sea. The name may have been given to children born near the coast or to those whose families had a connection to the sea, such as fishermen or sailors.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rhona can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a medieval chronicle that dates back to the 15th century. The Annals mention a woman named Rhona who lived in the 12th century and was known for her kindness and generosity.

Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Rhona. One of the most famous was Rhona Cameron (1876-1959), a Scottish suffragette and activist who campaigned for women's rights and social reform in the early 20th century.

Another prominent Rhona was Rhona Adair (1915-2008), a Canadian painter and printmaker who was known for her vibrant landscapes and depictions of rural life. Her works are held in numerous collections, including the National Gallery of Canada.

In the field of literature, Rhona Mackay (1888-1969) was a Scottish writer and poet who published several collections of poetry and novels. Her work often explored themes of nature, love, and the human condition.

Rhona Martin (born 1966) is a Scottish curler who led the British team to a historic gold medal in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, the first-ever Olympic gold for Great Britain in curling.

Rhona Mitra (born 1976) is a British actress and model who has appeared in several films and television shows, including Doomsday, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, and the TV series Nip/Tuck.

While the name Rhona has Scottish and Irish roots, it has gained popularity in various parts of the world, particularly in English-speaking countries. However, its historical and cultural significance remains closely tied to its Celtic origins and the ancient traditions of the Scottish and Irish people.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Rhona over time

The chart below shows babies named Rhona registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2021. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Rhona, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2021, compared with 25 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Rhona
06131925199620082021

Decades

Rhona by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Rhona 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 #4727 8 2
2010s #3013 70 9
2000s #2342 88 10
1990s #1328 61 4

Geography

Where Rhona is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Rhona. 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.

Rhona ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #343 in 2001.

Scotland
6
Northern Ireland
3

Across the UK

Rhona in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#476 in 2024

47 years of NRS records, 1,222 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#343 in 2001

1 years of NISRA records, 3 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Rhona

  • Rhona M. Hodgart

    author

    British author

    2000-

  • Rhona Brown

    university teacher; scholar of English

    British scholar of English and university teacher

    2000-

  • Rhona Callander

    sport cyclist

    British cyclist

    1999-

  • Rhona Lloyd

    rugby union player

    Scottish rugby union player

    1996-

  • Rhona Frances Colquhoun

    (born 1978)

    1978-

  • Rhona Mitra

    actor; singer; songwriter; model; film actor

    British actress (born 1976)

    1976-

  • Rhona Shepherd

    rugby union player

    British rugby union player

    1976-

  • Rhona Simpson

    field hockey player

    British field hockey player

    1972-

Related

Names similar to Rhona

FAQ

Rhona: questions and answers

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

In 2021, Rhona was ranked #3961 for girls in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.

When was Rhona most popular?

The peak year on record was 1996, with 25 babies registered as Rhona in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Rhona?

Scottish feminine name derived from a Gaelic word meaning "rough stream".

How many people are called Rhona in the UK?

A total of 227 babies have been registered as Rhona across the 25 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 1,222 more in Scotland and 3 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Rhona most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Rhona ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #343 in 2001. 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.