UK name, mostly boys
Ryan
An Irish name derived from the surname Ryan, meaning "little king".
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.
Ryan is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Ryan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #132, with 416 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 6,496 births.
This profile covers 68,692 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 6% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 94,017 living people in the UK are called Ryan. 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
- • Ryan ranked #132 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 416 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 6,496 boys were registered as Ryan.
- • Ryan ranks best in North East in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #1 in 2000.
- • About 94,017 living people in the UK are estimated to have Ryan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 100.0% of Ryan registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#132
2024
Births in 2024
416
Latest year
Peak year
1996
6,496 births
Estimated living
94,017
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Ryan
In England and Wales birth records, Ryan has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 100.0% of registrations are for boys and 0.0% 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.
Ryan registered for boys
- Ranked #132 in 2024
- 416 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 1996 (6,496 births)
Ryan registered for girls
- Ranked #5,730 in 2015
- 3 girls registered in 2015
- Peak: 1997 (6 births)
Meaning
What does Ryan mean?
The name Ryan is derived from the Irish surname Ó Riain, which means "descendant of Rian". Rian is an old Irish personal name that is thought to be derived from the Celtic word "rí", meaning "king". The name Ryan has its roots in ancient Celtic culture and language.
The earliest recorded use of the name Ryan dates back to the 16th century in Ireland. It was originally a surname, but over time, it transitioned into being used as a given name as well. The name gained popularity in the English-speaking world during the 19th century.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the name Ryan was Ryan O'Mulryan, an Irish chieftain who lived in the 16th century. He was a prominent figure in the O'Mulryan clan and played a role in the Irish Confederate Wars.
Another notable Ryan in history was Liadain and Cuirithir, two Irish poets from the 7th century who were known for their tragic love story. Liadain's real name was Rian, and she is sometimes referred to as Rian Liadain.
In the 18th century, Ryan Giggs was a Welsh Anglican priest and author who wrote several works on theology and philosophy.
In the 19th century, Ryan O'Neill was an Irish nationalist and journalist who played a significant role in the Irish Home Rule movement.
One of the most famous individuals with the name Ryan in modern times is Ryan Gosling, the Canadian actor known for his roles in films such as "The Notebook", "La La Land", and "Drive". He was born in 1980.
The name Ryan has a rich history and cultural significance, particularly in Ireland and the Celtic world. It has evolved from an ancient personal name to a popular given name in many parts of the world.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Ryan over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Ryan in England and Wales, 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 Ryan, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 416 births in 2024, compared with 6,496 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ryan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Ryan 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 | #114 | 2,497 | 5 |
| 2010s | #65 | 12,510 | 10 |
| 2000s | #22 | 31,486 | 10 |
| 1990s | #10 | 22,199 | 4 |
Geography
Where Ryan is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Ryan. 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.
Ryan ranks best in North East in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #1 in 2000.
Across the UK
Ryan in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#104 in 2024
51 years of NRS records, 21,174 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#104 in 2024
28 years of NISRA records, 5,176 total registered
Related
Names similar to Ryan
- 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
- Richard 8,565
FAQ
Ryan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Ryan in the UK right now?
In 2024, Ryan was ranked #132 for boys in England and Wales, with 416 births registered.
When was Ryan most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 6,496 babies registered as Ryan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Ryan?
An Irish name derived from the surname Ryan, meaning "little king".
How many people are called Ryan in the UK?
A total of 68,692 babies have been registered as Ryan across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 21,174 more in Scotland and 5,176 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Ryan most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Ryan ranks best in North East, where it placed #1 in 2000. 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.