Origin and Meaning of the Name Rhiannon

Rhiannon

Welsh - Female

According to the late Professor Proinsias Mac Cana of University College Dublin and Visiting Professor of Celtic Studies at Harvard University, Rhiannon derives "from Rigantona Divine Queen" (Proinsias Mac Cana, 1992, page. 51). Dr Anne Ross gives Rhiannon's derivation as, "Welsh Riannon from Rigantona, great queen" (Ross, 1992, page. 313). Professor Miranda Green of the University of Wales gives two meanings, combining the above derivations: "Her name may derive from that of a pagan goddess Rigantona ('Great – or Sacred – Queen')" (Green, 1993, page. 30). The prefix "Ri" gives the meaning "queen", who thus may be great, divine or sacred. Rhiannon does not mean "witch" or, as some sites claim, "nymph".

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Rhiannon female popularity statistics
Year Rank Trend +/- Quantity
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2007 942 -202 288
2006 740 +3 378
2005 743 -120 362
2004 623 -42 438
2003 581 -47 475
2002 534 -38 511
2001 496 -43 553
2000 453 -29 612
1999 424 +42 651
1998 466 +178 554
1997 644 +68 346
1996 712 -85 297
1995 627 -41 350
1994 586 +122 389
1993 708 -32 302
1992 676 +32 325
1991 708 -36 299
1990 672 +4 320
1989 676 +110 302
1988 786 -88 240
1987 698 -70 262
1986 628 +39 296
1985 667 -133 272
1984 534 -8 360
1983 526 -11 361
1982 515 -2 391
1981 513 -14 384
1980 499 -17 408
1979 482 -47 423
1978 435 -17 460
1977 418 +175 491
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