Boy name · Japanese
Ryu
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: dragonRyu is a boy's name that comes from Japanese and means "dragon". It is used in Japanese.
- Meaning
- Dragon
- Origin
- Japanese
- Gender
- Boy
- Say it
- RYOO
Meaning and origin of Ryu
As a boy's name, Ryu comes from Japanese and means "dragon". It is used in Japanese.
Say it RYOO. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
How to write Ryu in Japanese
In hiragana, Ryu is りゅう. In kanji it can be written several ways, and each choice gives the name its own meaning. These are spellings used for the name, with what each kanji means.
| Kanji | Reading | What the kanji mean |
|---|---|---|
| 龍 | りゅう | 龍 dragon |
| 竜 | りゅう | 竜 dragon |
| 隆 | りゅう | 隆 noble, prosperous |
Kanji and readings from the JMnedict and KANJIDIC2 dictionaries (EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0), checked by our editors.
Ryu on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Ryu on 3 lists.
“Dragon; Japanese. Meaning depends on the kanji, such as 竜 or 龍”
From Dragon names, real names and words that mean dragon
“Dragon; also written 竜. Bold and short.”
From Japanese boy names, strong Japanese boy names
“Dragon; Japanese, often written 竜 or 龍. Say RYOO”
From Strong boy names, strong boy names from around the world
How popular is Ryu?
- US rank in 2025
- #2,352
- 59 babies, 35 per million boys
- Best rank
- #1,320 in 2012
- 130 babies that year
- Babies since 1985
- At least 1,685
- 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 | 0 per million |
| 1980s | 1 per million |
| 1990s | 4 per million |
| 2000s | 19 per million |
| 2010s | 39 per million |
| 2020s | 47 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,005 | #1,911 | #2,439 | #2,127 | #1,992 | #1,955 | #2,077 | #2,028 | #1,435 | #2,352 |
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 spelled like Ryu
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- RyoCool, refreshing; good (depends on characters) (Japanese, boy)
- RioRiver (Spanish, unisex)
- RhysArdor, enthusiasm (Welsh, boy)
- RoyRed (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- RabBright fame (Germanic, boy)
- RajKing, rule (Sanskrit, boy)
- RamPleasing, charming (Sanskrit, boy)
- RanIndigo (Japanese, boy)
- RaúlWolf counsel (Germanic, boy)
Names with a similar meaning
- DracoDragon (Greek, boy)
- DrakeDragon (Old English, boy)
- EjderDragon (Persian, boy)
- LongDragon (depends on characters) (Chinese, boy)
- MireuDragon, an old native Korean word (Korean, boy)
- OrmSerpent, dragon (Old Norse, boy)
- RyomaDragon horse (depends on characters) (Japanese, boy)
- RyunosukeDragon helper (depends on characters) (Japanese, boy)
- TatsuyaAccomplished; dragon (depends on characters) (Japanese, boy)
Middle names for Ryu
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Japanese
- KaiSea (Japanese, boy)
- AkihikoBright prince (depends on kanji) (Japanese, boy)
- AkihiroBright and wide (depends on characters) (Japanese, boy)
- AkimitsuBright light (depends on kanji) (Japanese, boy)
- AkioBright man (depends on characters) (Japanese, boy)
- AkiraBright, clear (depends on characters) (Japanese, unisex)
- AkitoBright person (depends on characters) (Japanese, boy)
- AmaneHeavenly sound (depends on characters) (Japanese, unisex)
- AoBlue-green (Japanese, boy)
- AoiHollyhock; blue (depends on characters) (Japanese, unisex)
Ryu: common questions
What does the name Ryu mean?
Ryu comes from Japanese and means "dragon".
Is Ryu a boy or girl name?
Ryu is mainly a boy's name.
Where does the name Ryu come from?
Ryu comes from Japanese and means "dragon". Today it is used in Japanese.
How do you pronounce Ryu?
Say RYOO. Pronunciation can vary between languages and regions.
How do you write Ryu in Japanese?
Ryu is written りゅう in hiragana. Kanji spellings include 龍 (dragon), 竜 (dragon) and 隆 (noble). The kanji parents choose decide what the name means.
How popular is the name Ryu?
Ryu ranked #2,352 in the US in 2025, with 59 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Ryu?
Names spelled like Ryu include Ryo, Rio, Rhys, Roy and Rab.
What middle names go with Ryu?
Middle names that flow well with Ryu include Benedict, Clark, Edward, Elliott and Grayson. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.