Ryu

Ryu - A very unique male name

Ryu appeared on the charts for the first time in 2000 on position #2472. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Ryu and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Ryu? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Ryu. The baby boy name Ryu was given to 25 baby boys in 2025, ranking #2250 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 58,651 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Ryu peaked in popularity 2 years ago in 2024 on position 1404.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Ryu, 1-5?

Ryu is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Ryu is currently topping the baby name charts in California at position #1,231 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #1,883.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Ryu is where you live.

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Ryu origin and meaning

Japanese

From Japanese ryū, 'dragon' (written with the kanji for dragon)

Ryu is a Japanese name built on the word for dragon, a symbol of strength and good fortune. Its use in the United States is recent, first appearing in the data in 2000, and it is closely associated in popular culture with the Street Fighter games.

Attested etymology

Ryu is a 3 letter name with 1 syllables.

To see famous people named Ryu, pop culture references for the name Ryu and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Ryu

We've found the following names that sound similar to Ryu, sorted by popularity.

Roy / Ray / Rory / Rey / Rio / Rui / Ryo / Rye / Rei / Rai /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Ryu

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Ryu a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Ryu?

1 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

REE-oo · /ˈriːuː/
Some speakers compress it toward one syllable; the data table counts one syllable, while the Japanese pronunciation has two distinct sounds.

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Ryuu — Long-vowel spelling of the same Japanese name
• Ryo — A related but distinct Japanese name

Famous bearers

• Ryu — Central character of Capcom's Street Fighter video game series (Fictional, 1987) Fictional

Style

International

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Ryu for its compact strength and its dragon meaning, with a clear video-game association many will recognise.

Worth knowing

• Often read as a single syllable or mispronounced by English speakers unfamiliar with Japanese names