UK girl's name
Riannon
A Welsh feminine name of uncertain meaning, possibly related to the Welsh word "rhiain" meaning princely or maiden.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Riannon is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Riannon popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5687, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2000, with 12 births.
This profile covers 98 England and Wales registrations across 14 recorded years from 1996 to 2023. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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 25% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 97 living people in the UK are called Riannon. 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 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Riannon ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2000, when 12 girls were registered as Riannon.
- • About 97 living people in the UK are estimated to have Riannon as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5687
2023
Births in 2023
3
Latest year
Peak year
2000
12 births
Estimated living
97
2026
Meaning
What does Riannon mean?
The name Riannon is believed to have its origins in Welsh mythology and Celtic folklore. It is derived from the name Rhiannon, a prominent figure in the Mabinogion, a collection of medieval Welsh tales dating back to the 11th or 12th century. The name Rhiannon is thought to mean "great queen" or "divine queen" in Welsh.
The name Rhiannon first appears in the Mabinogion tale of Pwyll, Prince of Dyfed. In this story, Rhiannon is portrayed as a beautiful and powerful woman who arrives on a magical white horse and marries Pwyll. She is associated with fertility, sovereignty, and the supernatural.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Riannon dates back to the 16th century. A Welsh woman named Riannon verch Ieuan ap Rhys was mentioned in records from 1591. Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the name Riannon or variations of it.
Riannon Leigh Parker, born in 1981, is an American singer and songwriter known for her work in the pop-rock genre. Riannon Steele, born in 1983, is a Canadian figure skater who competed in the 2006 Winter Olympics. Riannon Tyers, born in 1989, is a British actress best known for her role in the TV series Becoming Human.
In literature, Riannon is the name of a character in the novel "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" by Milan Kundera, published in 1984. The name Riannon also appears in the fantasy novel "The Lord of the Rings" by J.R.R. Tolkien, where it is mentioned as a name among the Elves of Middle-earth.
While the name Riannon has its roots in Welsh mythology, it has gained popularity across various cultures and regions over time. It is often associated with qualities such as strength, beauty, and mysticism, reflecting its origins in Celtic folklore.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Riannon over time
The chart below shows babies named Riannon registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Riannon, the clearest high point is 2000. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2023, compared with 12 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Riannon by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Riannon 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 | #5687 | 3 | 1 |
| 2000s | #2834 | 64 | 9 |
| 1990s | #2149 | 31 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Riannon
- 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
Riannon: questions and answers
How popular is the name Riannon in the UK right now?
In 2023, Riannon was ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Riannon most popular?
The peak year on record was 2000, with 12 babies registered as Riannon in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Riannon?
A Welsh feminine name of uncertain meaning, possibly related to the Welsh word "rhiain" meaning princely or maiden.
How many people are called Riannon in the UK?
A total of 98 babies have been registered as Riannon across the 14 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
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.