Holding steady, #4,707 for boys today.
Popularity of Riyad since 1976
Babies named Riyad per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2017, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Riyad's real moment was 2025.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 18 |
| 1980s | 17 |
| 1990s | 46 |
| 2000s | 88 |
| 2010s | 182 |
| 2020s | 90 |
Meaning & origin
Riyad is a rare given name in the United States, first appearing in official records in 1976. As of 2025, it ranked 4,707th, with about 1 in 81,337 newborns receiving the name. Its popularity peaked in that same year, reflecting a modest increase in usage. The name is a direct variant of the Arabic word for 'gardens' (riyād) and is also the name of the capital of Saudi Arabia, a major cultural and economic hub. Despite its low frequency, Riyad has remained stable in usage, primarily among families with Middle Eastern heritage. Its top state usership is too low to report, indicating it has not yet concentrated significantly in any U.S. state.
Riyad is a variation of Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. The city's name comes from the Arabic rawḍah (روضة), meaning 'garden' or 'meadow,' often referring to a fertile area in a desert. As a given name, Riyad is less common than the city spelling and appears predominantly among families with ties to the Arabian Peninsula or the broader Muslim world.
“Riyad” around the world
Where Riyad lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
135
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Ry, Riad
Sibling names for Riyad
Names that share Riyad's style, for a brother or sister.
