Ryan
RYE-ən
Ryan is a streamlined Irish name that carries the sense of a little king or ruler.
Meaning
Ryan is generally understood as coming from the Irish surname Ó Riain, meaning 'descendant of Rian.' The personal name Rian is commonly linked to the Gaelic element rí, meaning 'king,' so Ryan is often taken to mean 'little king' or 'descendant of the kingly one.'
Origin
IrishGaelicmasculine
Fun fact
Ryan became especially popular as a first name in the English-speaking world in the 20th century, even though it began as a surname.
Confidence: pattern inferred. Sources: based on general naming-pattern knowledge.