The first name Rihanna
A girl’s name from Arabic meaning “basil”, “myrtle”.
3 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Arabic origin
Rihanna means “basil”, “myrtle” in Arabic.
From Arabic رَيْحَانَة (rayḥāna, singulative of رَيْحَان (rayḥān, “basil; myrtle”)).
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 15 girls were named Rihanna, making it the 1,892nd most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2007, with 281 births (#193).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Rihanna with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Rihanna at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 87 girls born in the United States were named Rihanna, the 2,150th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 2008, when 1,075 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
Famous people named Rihanna
1 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- RihannaBarbadian singer and businesswoman, born 1988
More Arabic girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Rihanna mean?
- Rihanna means “basil”, “myrtle” in Arabic.
- What is the origin of the name Rihanna?
- From Arabic رَيْحَانَة (rayḥāna, singulative of رَيْحَان (rayḥān, “basil; myrtle”)).
- How popular is the name Rihanna?
- In 2025, 15 girls born in England and Wales were named Rihanna, ranking 1,892nd. Its peak was 2007, with 281 births.
- Is Rihanna a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 6,617 US babies named Rihanna since 1880 were girls.
- When was Rihanna most popular?
- 2008 in the United States, when 1,075 babies were named Rihanna, its highest rank at 311th.
- What are other spellings of Rihanna?
- Rhianna.