boy's name
Ronin
ROH-nin (English)
- Origin Japanese, Irish
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 12,219
the United States
#504
2025 births
Ronin is a boy's name with two sources. In Japanese a rōnin is a samurai without a lord, a word meaning "wave man," and it's also used as a spelling of the Irish name Ronan, meaning "little seal." English-speaking parents usually have the first in mind.
- Ronin is a name of Japanese, Irish origin.
- Peaked in 2020, when 813 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 5,373 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1998.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Ronin Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1990s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 75 |
| 2000s | 1,426 |
| 2010s | 4,771 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 4,222 |
What Ronin Means
Ronin means a masterless samurai, a warrior adrift. It carries a sense of independence and hard-won honor, and that reading has more force for modern parents than the Irish seal.
Where Ronin Comes From
Japanese rōnin joins characters for wave and person, a metaphor for someone who drifts like the sea. In feudal Japan the word marked a samurai whose lord had died or dismissed him, a position of disgrace. The most famous are the Forty-Seven Rōnin, who avenged their master in 1703. The Bump and Mama Natural connect it instead to Irish Ronan, from rón, a seal, plus a diminutive ending. Western fans learned the term from film and comics, including the 1998 Robert De Niro thriller Ronin. In Japan it's a historic term and rarely a given name, so this usage is mainly Western.
Ronin in Use
Marvel Comics used Ronin as an identity for several heroes, among them Hawkeye. In modern Japan the word also describes a student retaking entrance exams, an example of how old vocabulary shifts.
How Popular Is Ronin?
In 2025, Ronin was given to 617 babies in the United States, ranking #504 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Where Ronin 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 Ronin
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Ronin Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Ronin over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Ronin
- English ROH-nin
Ronin 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.
- Irish
- Ronan
Sibling Names for Ronin
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Ronin — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Ronin
What does the name Ronin mean?
A masterless samurai in Japanese, and a spelling of Irish Ronan.
Is Ronin a Japanese name?
It's a Japanese word, though it's rarely used as a given name in Japan.
Is Ronin a boy's name?
Yes. It's used mainly for boys.
How popular is the name Ronin?
In 2025, Ronin was given to 617 babies in the United States, ranking #504 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
How many syllables are in Ronin?
Ronin has 2 syllables.
When was Ronin most popular?
Ronin peaked in 2020, when 813 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
Is Ronin a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Ronin currently ranks #504 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.