Boy's name
Rian
“REE-an”
possibly 'little king' — from rí; disputed
The story behind the name
Better known as a surname (Ó Riain, Ryan) than a given name until the late 20th century, when Ryan became a global favourite and Irish parents reclaimed it in its native spelling.
Where the name belongs
Meanings follow Ó Corráin & Maguire's Irish Names and Woulfe; pronunciations give the commonest Irish-English form. Know this name better — a dialect pronunciation, a family tradition? Tell us. · All Irish names A–Z