River
River is a boy's name of English origin.
Meaning
Flowing body of water; streams of water.
Origin and history
River is an English nature name referring to a flowing body of water. It gained traction as a given name in the late 20th century and has risen sharply in U.S. popularity in recent years for both boys and girls. Today, it stands as a mainstream, contemporary unisex choice with a strong connection to the outdoors.
Popularity in the United States
39,676 babies in the United States have been named River since 1880. It ranks #578 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #116.
States where it is most popular
- CA (10.2 %)
- TX (9.1 %)
- FL (4.9 %)
- NC (4.2 %)
- GA (4 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 0 |
| 1890-1900 | 0 |
| 1900-1910 | 0 |
| 1910-1920 | 0 |
| 1920-1930 | 0 |
| 1930-1940 | 0 |
| 1940-1950 | 0 |
| 1950-1960 | 0 |
| 1960-1970 | 0 |
| 1970-1980 | 26 |
| 1980-1990 | 82 |
| 1990-2000 | 2,023 |
| 2000-2010 | 4,449 |
| 2010-2019 | 13,860 |
| 2020-2029 | 19,236 |
Famous people named River
- River Phoenix: Actor, Musician
Fun facts
- The word traces back to Old French 'riviere' and ultimately Latin 'riparia', referring to a riverbank.
- While used occasionally in the late 20th century, nearly half of all U.S. boys named River since 1880 were born after 2020.