UK name, mostly boys
Riven
A name derived from the word "rive," meaning to tear or split apart.
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.
Also recorded as a girls' name in the UK, with 21 girls.
Riven is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Riven popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1951, with 12 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 20 births.
This profile covers 90 England and Wales registrations across 13 recorded years from 2003 to 2024. 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 60% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 92 living people in the UK are called Riven. 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
- • Riven ranked #1951 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 12 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2023, when 20 boys were registered as Riven.
- • Riven ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #728 in 2023.
- • Riven is also recorded for girls, but the boys side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 92 living people in the UK are estimated to have Riven as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 81.1% of Riven registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1951
2024
Births in 2024
12
Latest year
Peak year
2023
20 births
Estimated living
92
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Riven
In England and Wales birth records, Riven has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 81.1% of registrations are for boys and 18.9% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Riven registered for boys
- Ranked #1,951 in 2024
- 12 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2023 (20 births)
Riven registered for girls
- Ranked #4,843 in 2024
- 4 girls registered in 2024
- Peak: 2016 (6 births)
Meaning
What does Riven mean?
The name Riven is a modern English name with no definitive origin or historical roots. It is likely a recently coined name, possibly derived from the English word "riven," which means "split apart" or "torn asunder." However, there are no clear historical references or ancient texts that this name can be traced back to.
While the name Riven itself does not have a long historical lineage, it may have been inspired by names from other cultures or languages. For example, in Sanskrit, the name "Rivan" means "one who sings or chants," which could be a potential source of inspiration. Additionally, in Old English, the word "riven" meant "to tear or split," which aligns with the modern English meaning of the word.
Despite its relatively recent origins, there are a few notable individuals who have borne the name Riven throughout history. One of the earliest recorded examples is Riven Taylor, an American architect born in 1884 who designed several notable buildings in the early 20th century.
Another notable individual with the name Riven is Riven Flanders, a Belgian painter and sculptor born in 1923. Flanders gained recognition for his abstract expressionist works and held numerous exhibitions throughout Europe during his lifetime.
In the literary world, Riven Locksley is a fictional character from the popular fantasy novel series "The Dragonriders of Pern" by Anne McCaffrey. Locksley was a skilled harper and dragonrider in the series, which was first published in the late 1960s.
Moving into more recent times, Riven Chidley is a British actress born in 1978 who has appeared in several television shows and films, including "The Crown" and "Downton Abbey."
Finally, Riven Marley is a contemporary American musician and songwriter born in 1986. Marley is known for her unique blend of folk and alternative rock styles and has released several critically acclaimed albums since the early 2010s.
While the name Riven may be relatively new and lack a deep historical lineage, it has been adopted by individuals across various professions and creative fields, potentially reflecting its modern and distinctive quality.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Riven over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Riven in England and Wales, from 2003 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 Riven, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 12 births in 2024, compared with 20 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Riven by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Riven 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 | #2321 | 59 | 5 |
| 2010s | #3980 | 21 | 5 |
| 2000s | #3735 | 10 | 3 |
Geography
Where Riven is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Riven. 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.
Riven ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #728 in 2023.
Across the UK
Riven in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#728 in 2023
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Riven
- Ryan 68,692
- Riley 37,992
- Robert 27,462
- Reuben 25,122
- Rhys 24,418
- Reece 24,329
- Rory 21,870
- Roman 16,609
- Ronnie 16,445
- Reggie 14,684
- Rowan 14,371
- Ralph 8,892
FAQ
Riven: questions and answers
How popular is the name Riven in the UK right now?
In 2024, Riven was ranked #1951 for boys in England and Wales, with 12 births registered.
When was Riven most popular?
The peak year on record was 2023, with 20 babies registered as Riven in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Riven?
A name derived from the word "rive," meaning to tear or split apart.
How many people are called Riven in the UK?
A total of 90 babies have been registered as Riven across the 13 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.
Where is Riven most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Riven ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #728 in 2023. 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.