A slight drop from number 16 to number 18 on the list of popular boys' names, the name Ryan still seems like a keeper, maybe due to its distinctive sound as both a traditional and a modern name.
The origin of Ryan is the Irish diminutive form of rí (king): hence, "little king."
While the name Ryan has never been as popular for girls as it is for boys, it is still in the top 1000 list of girls' names, and has been there for over 30 years. Because the name is still much more common for a boy, naming a girl Ryan is still a matter of controversy, as many believe naming girls with boys' names is nothing but a temporary trend. The fact that the name has been relatively popular for girls for over thirty years seems to dispel that myth, though.
Other related names, more specifically for girls, include Rian, Ryann, Ryana, and Ryanne.
(A final note: although the full name of actor Ryan Phillippe is Matthew Ryan Phillippe, the main issue here is that he'd rather be known as Ryan. Placing his picture up here does not seem to me to take away from the name, but to add to it, because the actor has chosen it over the more common and conservative Matthew).
