The first name River
A unisex name.
2 syllables Unisex
Meaning and origin
From river.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 481 boys were named River, making it the 110th most popular boys’ name.
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare River with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named River at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 3,139 boys born in the United States were named River, the 111th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2021, when 3,504 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.
Famous people named River
4 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- River PhoenixAmerican actor and musician (1970–1993)
- River AlexanderAmerican actor, born 1999
- River RadamusAmerican alpine ski racer, born 1998
- River GalloAmerican filmmaker, actor, model, and intersex rights activist
Questions
- What does the name River mean?
- From river.
- How popular is the name River?
- In 2025, 481 boys born in England and Wales were named River, ranking 110th.
- Is River a boy's or a girl's name?
- Both. Of the 59,351 US babies named River since 1880, 33% were girls and 67% boys.
- When was River most popular?
- 2021 in the United States, when 3,504 babies were named River, its highest rank at 110th.