Ryan is a highly popular boys' name in United States, ranking #25 in 2011 with 11,503 recorded births. The name reached its all-time peak in 1996 with 21,810 births ranking #16. Since 1996, the popularity has decreased by 47.3%. In 2011, approximately 1 in every 165 boys born was named Ryan. FALLING Recent data shows the name is currently falling.
Ryan is a hugely successful Irish-rooted name usually explained as little king. It feels friendly, modern, and effortlessly familiar.
The name moved from Irish surname use into mainstream first-name use and later became one of the major boys' names of the late twentieth century. Its continued strength comes from its simplicity and ease.