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Home › Baby Names Directory › Ruan

Ruan

♂ Boy

Pronounced roo-AHN /ruˈɑn/Medium

Meaning: Variously a Portuguese form of Rohan (from Rowan/Ruadhan, 'little red one'), a Chinese surname (Ruan), and a Cornish saint's name; routes layeredLow

In 30 seconds: A form of Rohan/Ruan: Ruan is Portuguese/Chinese. Crisp, modern, and warm (said 'roo-AHN').
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Origin LowPortuguese, Chinese
MeaningVariously a Portuguese form of Rohan (from Rowan/Ruadhan, 'little red one'), a Chinese surname (Ruan), and a Cornish saint's name; routes layered
U.S. rank (2025)#9539 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births8 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2022
Total births (all-time)≈ 83

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202219832025

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

Ruan comes variously from a Portuguese form of Rohan (from Rowan/Ruadhan, 'little red one'), a Chinese surname (Ruan), and a Cornish saint's name (routes layered, which we note). A crisp, modern name (said 'roo-AHN').

In the U.S. it appears in Brazilian and Chinese families. Rare, routes-layered, and crisp.

Did you know? Ruan is variously a Portuguese form of Rohan ('little red one'), a Chinese surname, and a Cornish saint's name — a crisp, modern name (the routes are layered, which we note; said 'roo-AHN').
Overall data confidence 30%
References — Ruan — routes layered

Variations

RohanRuannRuwan

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

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If you like Ruan…

Rohan— a name it forms
Ruben— a sound-neighbor Ru- boys' name
Juan— a fellow -uan boys' name
Roman— a companion Ro- boys' name

Explore names like Ruan

By themeuncertainportuguesechinese

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Ruan mean?

Ruan is variously a Portuguese form of Rohan, a Chinese surname, and a Cornish saint's name; the routes are layered.

How do you pronounce Ruan?

It's said roo-AHN /ruˈɑn/ — two syllables, stress on the second.

Is Ruan a boy or girl name?

Ruan is a boy's name.

How popular is Ruan?

Ruan is a very rare name in the U.S.

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