Girl name · Welsh
Rhiannon
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: great queenRhiannon is a girl's name that comes from Welsh and means "great queen". It is used in English and Welsh.
- Meaning
- Great queen
- Origin
- Welsh
- Gender
- Girl
- Say it
- ree-AN-on
Meaning and origin of Rhiannon
As a girl's name, Rhiannon comes from Welsh and means "great queen". It is used in English and Welsh.
Say it ree-AN-on. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Rhiannon on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Rhiannon on 6 lists.
“Great queen; Welsh. An otherworldly rider in the Mabinogion”
From Fairy names, real fairy girl names
“Great queen; Welsh Mabinogion heroine linked to a horse goddess”
From Goddess names, celtic goddess names
“Welsh mythic queen who rode a pale horse”
From Horse names, horse names for mares
“Great queen; Welsh. A legendary Welsh queen. Say ree-AN-on”
From Strong female names, names that mean queen, lady or ruler
“Great queen; Welsh, a horse-riding heroine of myth. Say ree-AN-on”
From Unique girl names, uncommon Irish, Welsh and Cornish girl names
“Welsh for great queen; a horsewoman of the Mabinogion”
From Witch names, witchy names for girls
How popular is Rhiannon?
- US rank in 2025
- #1,119
- 210 babies, 131 per million girls
- Best rank
- #418 in 1977
- Most babies: 651 in 1999
- Babies since 1974
- At least 15,539
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 0 per million |
| 1910s | 0 per million |
| 1920s | 0 per million |
| 1930s | 0 per million |
| 1940s | 0 per million |
| 1950s | 0 per million |
| 1960s | 0 per million |
| 1970s | 108 per million |
| 1980s | 191 per million |
| 1990s | 213 per million |
| 2000s | 221 per million |
| 2010s | 83 per million |
| 2020s | 128 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,571 | #1,440 | #1,471 | #1,241 | #1,157 | #1,108 | #1,128 | #1,157 | #1,300 | #1,119 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Names with a similar meaning
- ReginaQueen (Latin, girl)
- MagnusThe great (Latin, boy)
- AugustaGreat, venerable (Latin, girl)
- IrmaWhole, great (Germanic, girl)
- AugustGreat, venerable (Latin, unisex)
- AugustinVenerable, great (Latin, boy)
- GrantGreat, large (Old French, boy)
- GusGreat, venerable (Latin, boy)
- ImeldaGreat battle (Germanic, girl)
- KabirGreat (Arabic, boy)
Middle names for Rhiannon
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More girl names from Welsh
- SabrinaFrom Sabrina, the Latin name of the River Severn (Welsh, girl)
- GwenWhite, fair, blessed (Welsh, girl)
- GwendolynBlessed ring (Welsh, girl)
- LynnLake (Welsh, unisex)
- MeganA pearl (Welsh, girl)
- ReeseArdor, enthusiasm (Welsh, unisex)
- TeganFair, beautiful (Welsh, girl)
- WynnFair, white, blessed (Welsh, unisex)
- AngharadMuch loved (Welsh, girl)
- AnwenVery fair, very blessed (Welsh, girl)
Rhiannon: common questions
What does the name Rhiannon mean?
Rhiannon comes from Welsh and means "great queen".
Is Rhiannon a boy or girl name?
Rhiannon is mainly a girl's name.
Where does the name Rhiannon come from?
Rhiannon comes from Welsh and means "great queen". Today it is used in English and Welsh.
How do you pronounce Rhiannon?
Say ree-AN-on. Pronunciation can vary between languages and regions.
How popular is the name Rhiannon?
Rhiannon ranked #1,119 in the US in 2025, with 210 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What middle names go with Rhiannon?
Middle names that flow well with Rhiannon include Amber, Belle, Eve, Gemma and Jean. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.