Of two different origins, Irish and/or Arabic.
Of Irish origin.
It means “little king”.
It is also used as a feminine name.
It was used as a surname.
Derives from the old surname Ó Riain, meaning “descendant of Rían.
Rían derives from the Irish word “rí”, meaning “king”.
Sources also mention Ryan as a variant form of the Arabic name Rayan/Rayyan, meaning “luxuriant”.
Feminine forms of the name are: Ryann, Ryana, Ryanne.
Other forms of the name are: Rian, Ryian, Ryne, Rayan.
Ryan (as an Irish name) is popular in Northern Ireland, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia.
Famous male bearers are Ryan Gosling, Ryan Reynolds, Ryan O’ Neal, Ryan Giggs, Ryan Phillippe, Ryan Stiles, Ryan Lochte, Ryan Adams, Ryan Guzman, Ryan Sheckler, Ryan Thomas, Ryan Kwanten.
Famous female bearer is Ryan Newman.
Ryan Gosling is a Canadian actor, musician and producer.
He was a child star on the Disney Channel and he became widely known in 2004 when he starred in Nick Cassavetes’s film “The Notebook”.
He has been nominated for Academy and Golden Globe Awards and co starred in films such as “Crazy, Stupid, Love”, “The Ides of March”, “Drive”, etc.
He has formed the band “Dead Man’s Bones” with friend Zach Shields.
In the following video you may watch a short biography of Ryan Gosling: