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Home › Baby Names Directory › Rio

Rio

♀ Girl

Pronounced RYO /ˈrjoʊ/Low

Meaning: RiverLow

In 30 seconds: Rio is a Spanish word name meaning 'river', short and used for girls and boys alike.
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Origin LowSpanish, Japanese, Portuguese
MeaningRiver
U.S. rank (2025)#1877 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births105 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2021
Total births (all-time)≈ 2,282

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202119302025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Rio comes from Spanish, where it is simply the word for 'river'. Two clean syllables make it one of the more compact nature names. Its watery meaning and easy sound have helped it travel well beyond the Spanish-speaking world.

The recorded bearers cross both genders and continents, Rio Uchida (1991-present) and footballer Rio Ferdinand (1978-present), which underlines how unisex and international the name has become.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Rio is 'river', from the Spanish and Portuguese word (Latin rivus), and that simple, flowing image is part of the name's long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 55%
Behind the Name - Rio — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

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Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Rio Uchida (1991–present)
    Female public figure listed on Behind the Name.
  • ★Rio Ferdinand (1978–present)
    Male public figure listed on Behind the Name.

If you like Rio…

Marisol— A Spanish girl's name tying nature words together, like Rio's 'river'.
Ren— another Japanese name
Kai— a fellow Japanese choice
Jayde— shares Rio's Spanish roots
Flor— a similarly popular pick

Explore names like Rio

By meaningSea / Water

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Rio mean?

Rio is a Spanish and Portuguese word meaning 'river', from Latin rivus. It is also a separate Japanese given name written with various kanji.

How do you pronounce Rio?

It's commonly said RYO /ˈrjoʊ/.

Is Rio a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Rio is used as a girl name.

How popular is Rio?

In 2024, Rio ranked #1813 in the U.S. for girls, with 111 births recorded.

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