Rio
Boy name · #533 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Rio? In official American birth records, Rio has been tracked continuously since 1920, giving it 105 years of documented American history.
Rio is currently the #533 boy name in the United States — 563 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1567, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 3,197 boys born in 2025 was named Rio.
Babies named Rio per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 105-year story
Rio first appears in the Social Security records in 1920, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2024, with 593 babies and a rank of #517. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Rio against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Rio in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Rio is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Rio is most common
Geography matters for names, and Rio is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Rio is most common in CA (0.7 per 1,000), UT (0.6 per 1,000), FL (0.6 per 1,000), NY (0.6 per 1,000), AZ (0.6 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.4 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Rio is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Rio
Statistically, parents drawn to Rio tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Dario, Elio, Gio, Rome, and Teo.
DarioElioGioRomeTeoKyroMyloRidge
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Rio | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 563 | #532 |
| 2024 | 593 | #517 |
| 2023 | 514 | #571 |
| 2022 | 530 | #560 |
| 2021 | 403 | #669 |
| 2020 | 305 | #774 |
| 2019 | 193 | #1057 |
| 2018 | 172 | #1122 |
| 2017 | 132 | #1348 |
| 2016 | 136 | #1320 |
| 2015 | 103 | #1567 |
| 2014 | 104 | #1536 |
| 2013 | 97 | #1588 |
| 2012 | 100 | #1575 |
| 2011 | 99 | #1573 |
| 2010 | 110 | #1481 |
| 2009 | 77 | #1873 |
| 2008 | 78 | #1861 |
| 2007 | 80 | #1811 |
| 2006 | 67 | #1994 |
| 2005 | 59 | #2081 |
| 2004 | 64 | #1911 |
| 2003 | 49 | #2206 |
| 2002 | 52 | #2068 |
| 2001 | 48 | #2151 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Rio?
In official American birth records, the name Rio first appeared in 1920 (over 105 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 105 years.
Is Rio a popular boy name?
Rio ranked #533 among boys in 2025 with 563 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1567.
When was the name Rio most popular?
Rio peaked in 2024, when 593 American boys received the name (ranked #517 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Rio?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 3,197 newborn American boys was named Rio. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.