NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Riel

A feminine name of French origin meaning "small stream".

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.

Riel is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Riel popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5119, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 4 births.

This profile covers 13 England and Wales registrations across 4 recorded years from 2018 to 2024. 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 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 13 living people in the UK are called Riel. 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

  • Riel ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2023, when 4 boys were registered as Riel.
  • About 13 living people in the UK are estimated to have Riel as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5119

2024

Births in 2024

3

Latest year

Peak year

2023

4 births

Estimated living

13

2026

Meaning

What does Riel mean?

The name Riel is of French origin, derived from the word "rieux," meaning a small stream or brook. It is believed to have originated in the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century, in the northern regions of France.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Riel can be found in the historical records of the town of Rieux-Volvestre, located in the Haute-Garonne department of southwestern France. The town's name is thought to be the source of the given name Riel.

In the 14th century, a French nobleman named Jean de Riel was mentioned in several historical documents. He served as a military commander during the Hundred Years' War between England and France.

During the Renaissance period, a notable figure named Riel de Bussy was a French poet and playwright who lived from 1520 to 1588. His works were widely acclaimed and contributed to the flourishing of French literature during that era.

In the 19th century, Louis Riel (1844-1885) was a famous Métis leader and founder of the province of Manitoba, Canada. He led two resistance movements against the Canadian government, seeking to protect the rights and lands of the Métis people.

Another historical figure with the name Riel was Theodor Riel (1836-1911), a German astronomer and mathematician. He made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics and the motion of planets and comets.

In the realm of art, Riel Bravais (1909-1994) was a renowned French painter and sculptor. His abstract and figurative works were widely exhibited and celebrated throughout Europe in the 20th century.

The name Riel has also been found in various literary works, such as the novel "The Riel Paradox" by Antonia Bird, which explores the life and legacy of Louis Riel and the Métis people of Canada.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Riel over time

The chart below shows babies named Riel registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2018 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 Riel, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 4 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Riel
01234201820212024

Decades

Riel by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Riel 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 #4613 7 2
2010s #4726 6 2

Related

Names similar to Riel

FAQ

Riel: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Riel was ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Riel most popular?

The peak year on record was 2023, with 4 babies registered as Riel in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Riel?

A feminine name of French origin meaning "small stream".

How many people are called Riel in the UK?

A total of 13 babies have been registered as Riel across the 4 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.