NameCensus.

UK name, mostly boys

Ryder

A masculine English name derived from an occupational surname meaning "mounted traveler" or "cavalryman".

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.

Ryder is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Ryder popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #529, with 73 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2021, with 118 births.

This profile covers 1,291 England and Wales registrations across 25 recorded years from 1998 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 62% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 1,306 living people in the UK are called Ryder. 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

  • Ryder ranked #529 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 73 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2021, when 118 boys were registered as Ryder.
  • Ryder ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #404 in 2024.
  • About 1,306 living people in the UK are estimated to have Ryder as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 99.4% of Ryder registrations are for boys.

Latest rank (E&W)

#529

2024

Births in 2024

73

Latest year

Peak year

2021

118 births

Estimated living

1,306

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Ryder

In England and Wales birth records, Ryder has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 99.4% of registrations are for boys and 0.6% 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.

99% boys
Boys1,291 (99.4%)Girls8 (0.6%)

Ryder registered for boys

  • Ranked #529 in 2024
  • 73 boys registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2021 (118 births)

Ryder registered for girls

  • Ranked #4,645 in 2022
  • 4 girls registered in 2022
  • Peak: 2021 (4 births)

Meaning

What does Ryder mean?

The given name Ryder has its origins in the Old English language, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "ridere," which means "mounted warrior" or "rider." This suggests that the name may have been originally associated with horsemen, knights, or those involved in cavalry or equestrian pursuits.

During the Anglo-Saxon era in Britain, the name Ryder was likely used to refer to individuals who excelled in horsemanship or who held positions related to horses or mounted combat. It was a name that carried connotations of strength, bravery, and skill in the saddle.

While no specific historical references or ancient texts mentioning the name Ryder have been widely documented, it is believed to have been in use among the English-speaking population during the Middle Ages. The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th and 14th centuries in England.

One of the earliest known individuals with the name Ryder was Sir John Ryder, an English knight who lived in the late 14th century. He served under King Edward III and participated in the Hundred Years' War against France.

Another notable historical figure was Sir Thomas Ryder, a 16th-century English lawyer and judge. He served as the Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench from 1591 to 1598 during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, Dudley Ryder, an English lawyer and politician, held the position of Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench from 1754 to 1756. He was also a Member of Parliament and served as the Attorney General for England and Wales.

In the 19th century, Henry Ryder, 1st Earl of Harrowby, was a prominent British statesman and peer. He served as the Lord President of the Council and held various other political positions from 1809 to 1827.

Another notable figure was Sir Alfred Phillipps Ryder, a British civil engineer and naval architect who lived from 1820 to 1888. He designed several notable ships, including the HMS Ranger and HMS Immortalité.

While the name Ryder has its roots in Old English and was historically associated with horsemen and warriors, it has evolved over time and is now used as a given name across various cultures and regions. However, its origins and historical significance remain tied to its equestrian and martial connotations in medieval England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Ryder over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Ryder in England and Wales, from 1998 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 Ryder, the clearest high point is 2021. The latest England and Wales figure is 73 births in 2024, compared with 118 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
0316192122199820112024

Decades

Ryder by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Ryder 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 #450 462 5
2010s #578 673 10
2000s #1716 152 9
1990s #2419 4 1

Geography

Where Ryder is most common

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

Ryder ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #404 in 2024.

Scotland
4
Northern Ireland
3

Across the UK

Ryder in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#614 in 2023

4 years of NRS records, 20 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#404 in 2024

1 years of NISRA records, 3 total registered

Related

Names similar to Ryder

FAQ

Ryder: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Ryder was ranked #529 for boys in England and Wales, with 73 births registered.

When was Ryder most popular?

The peak year on record was 2021, with 118 babies registered as Ryder in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Ryder?

A masculine English name derived from an occupational surname meaning "mounted traveler" or "cavalryman".

How many people are called Ryder in the UK?

A total of 1,291 babies have been registered as Ryder across the 25 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 20 more in Scotland and 3 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Ryder most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Ryder ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #404 in 2024. 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.