by Kim L Kirsch

Created on: January 28, 2008   Last Updated: January 26, 2009

Most parents choose the name for their child based on the sound of the name. Many times, parents will take the time to reseach deeper into the meaning of names and where the names come from. For the parents looking to name their child Ryan I have done that research for them:

Etymology: The name Ryan hails from Ireland with the pronunciation of Ry-un for a boy and Ry-Ann for a girl.

Meaning: The meaning of Ryan is "little king" for a boy and "young royalty" for a girl, although some claim that the name means "water."

Origin and History: Some claim that the first Ryan was a descendant of Rain from the Gaelic period. Then there are others insist that the first Ryan was a descendant of the Welch Goddess Rhiannon. Ryan is from the ancient Gaelic period of Ireland.

Popularity: Ryan became popular in the 1970s and its' popularity has not let up since. In the United States Ryan is in the top twenty for names of new baby boys and remains in the top five hundred for baby girl names. Ryan continues to grow in popularity all around the world. Perhaps the most popular country to sport the baby name Ryan would be Scotland where the name has been in the top ten consistently since 1999. The name Ryan is not only a first or given name. It is also a very popular surname.

Fascinating Facts:
- Perhaps the most well known fact about the name Ryan is that the recording group Fleetwood Mac recorded their hit song Rhiannon which some say is about the Welch Goddess of whom the name Ryan originated from.

- Another fascinating fact would be that a company called Ryan Aviation built the airplane flown across the Atlantic by Charles Lindburg. The name of this airplane was The Spirit of St Louis.

- Still yet, there is the fact about the Russian code word Ryan that means Nuclear Missile Attack Intelligence Operation.

Namesakes:
- Ryan's Song by Hellogoodbye - Ryan, Iowa - Ryan's Steakhouse A fabulous steakhouse and buffet in 23 states - Ryan Air This is a popular low cost airline in Ireland - Saving Private Ryan A movie

Famous Persons:

- Ryan O'Neal Golden Globe Nominee born on April 20, 1941 - Ryan Seacrest American Idol Star born on December 24, 1974 - Ryan Newman Nascar Driver born on December 8, 1977 - Ryan Burch Football Player for the New England Patriots born on November 1, 1977 - Ryan Barnes Professional Hockey Player born on January 30, 1980 - Meg Ryan Actress born on November 19, 1961

Name Variants: There are numerous variants to the name Ryan. A few of these are: Ryann, Ryane, Rian, Riana, Riane, Riane, Riann, Rianna, Rynn, Ryen, Rye, and Rynna.

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