girl's name
Rhiannon
ree-AN-un (English)
- Origin Welsh
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 3
- Letters 8
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 23,987
Rhiannon is a Welsh girl's name meaning "great queen," from the Celtic Rigantona. It's the name of a central figure in the Mabinogi, the medieval Welsh tales, and it became internationally known through Fleetwood Mac's 1975 song.
- Rhiannon is a name of Welsh origin.
- Peaked in 1999, when 651 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 15,788 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1974.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Rhiannon Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1970s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 1,666 |
| 1980s | 3,281 |
| 1990s | 3,833 |
| 2000s | 4,075 |
| 2010s | 1,444 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 1,245 |
What Rhiannon Means
Rhiannon means great queen or divine queen. Scholars see in it the title of an old Celtic goddess, which explains the air of power and mystery that surrounds the character.
Where Rhiannon Comes From
Rhiannon descends from a reconstructed Brittonic title, Rigantona, built on rigan, a queen, with an ending often found on divine names. She may therefore be a remembered goddess, possibly tied to the Gaulish horse goddess Epona. In the Mabinogi she appears riding a white horse, chooses Pwyll as her husband over a suitor forced on her, and is later falsely accused of killing her son. The name stayed in literature for centuries before Welsh families took it up in the twentieth century, and the song then carried it around the English-speaking world.
Rhiannon in Use
Stevie Nicks wrote the song after finding the name in a novel, and she has called it a song about a Welsh witch. American musician Rhiannon Giddens is a well-known modern bearer.
How Popular Is Rhiannon?
In 2025, Rhiannon was given to 210 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Rhiannon Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Rhiannon
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Rhiannon Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Rhiannon over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Rhiannon
- English ree-AN-un
1 nickname for Rhiannon
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
-
Rhi #5,135
Rhiannon in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling Names for Rhiannon
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Rhiannon — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Rhiannon
What does the name Rhiannon mean?
Great queen, from the Celtic Rigantona.
Who is Rhiannon in Welsh mythology?
A heroine of the Mabinogi who rides a white horse and may reflect an older goddess.
How do you pronounce Rhiannon?
ree-AN-un.
How popular is the name Rhiannon?
In 2025, Rhiannon was given to 210 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Is Rhiannon a girl's or a boy's name?
Rhiannon is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Rhiannon?
Rhiannon has 3 syllables.
When was Rhiannon most popular?
Rhiannon peaked in 1999, when 651 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Rhiannon?
Rhiannon is usually shortened to Rhi.
Is Rhiannon a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Rhiannon currently ranks #1,119 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.