See the results of this poll: Which spelling of Ryan/Rian do you prefer?
Respondents: 58 (This poll is closed)
- Ryan: 52 (90%)
- Rian: 6 (10%)
[name]Rian[/name] seems a bit too feminine. I know a few girls called [name]Riann[/name]/Rhiann/[name]Rhiannon[/name] so the ‘i’ makes it look feminine [name]IMO[/name].
I think if I read [name]Rian[/name] on a list of kids names I would be expecting a girl called ‘ryan’ or ‘ree-anne’.
In terms of authenticity, I’d feel the absolute dominance of the spelling ‘[name]Ryan[/name]’ now supersedes traditional claims to which is the most ‘legitimate’ spelling.
I honestly can’t imagine what would move you to spell it [name]Rian[/name]. It’s practically begging for a lifetime of confusion. If it sounds like [name]Ryan[/name] and the name you mean is [name]Ryan[/name], then spell it [name]RYAN[/name].
Actually, I didn’t spell it [name]Rian[/name]…Nameberry did. Look it up…I was just curious what people thought about it. I kind of liked the alternate spelling but had my doubts about the feminine/unfamiliarity of it. It’s comparable to [name]Rhys[/name]. Most people see it spelled [name]Reece[/name] or [name]Reese[/name]…[name]Rhys[/name] is the original spelling. Apparently [name]Rian[/name] is the Original spelling…so just thought I’d throw it out there and see what everyone else thought about it…
I would go [name]RYAN[/name] most definitley.
[name]Rian[/name] actually made me say “[name]REE[/name]-an”
Wow! I had no idea that [name]Rian[/name] is the original [name]Ryan[/name] spelling. Interesting…Thanks for the information!
I do prefer [name]Ryan[/name], though, not only because it’s what I’m used to, but because my eyes nearly misread [name]Rian[/name] as [name]Rain[/name]. Like someone else mentioned, I thought that [name]Rian[/name] may be a yooneekly feminine version of [name]Ryan[/name].
Have a good night! 
I use Behind the Names for a lot of the “behind the names” we don’t get here and it’s an excellent resource. I think if you looked up just about any name that’s not recently invented, “original” spelling doesn’t count for much. A lot of names are just that old and come from centuries of evolution of the words and how they developed into names rather than descriptions of people. Standard spelling on this one is [name]Ryan[/name].
[name]Rian[/name] sounds kind of like a nn for [name]Rianne[/name] (girl’s name)
I think with [name]Ryan[/name] being way more common a spelling, you’re just asking for confusion by spelling it differently.
I also think of [name]Rian[/name] as a girl’s name, but that’s only because I know a little girl named [name]Rian[/name]. I constantly have to remind myself to pronounce it like [name]Ryan[/name] and not like [name]Rye[/name]-[name]Anne[/name] (I think that’s just because it’s a girl and her name is spelled differently, so I keep wanting to pronounce it differently).
I would say [name]Ryan[/name]… unless you live in a country that would appreciate and recognize [name]Rian[/name] as the original spelling.
My first boyfriend was named [name]Rian[/name]. He is a very masculine tall man so it does not seem like a feminine version to me. I think [name]Rian[/name] is a much more aesthetically pleasing version of the name.
I know 1 female [name]Ryan[/name], spelled as such. To me it’s all boy, though. (Especially when I consider the meaning.) I know several [name]Ryan[/name]'s and 1 [name]Rian[/name]. I ALWAYS spell [name]Rian[/name]'s with a ‘y’ before I catch myself. And most people are used to seeing the ‘y’, so [name]Rian[/name] would be misspelled often.
If I saw [name]Rian[/name], I would assume it was a girl, but that the parents wanted to make the name seem more girly.
I like the spelling of [name]Rian[/name], but when I see it I think “ree-an” instead of [name]Ryan[/name], so that would be an issue.
Wanted to jump in and say that just because a name is on Nameberry doesn’t make it “legit”. Same goes for baby books and most baby name websites. A lot of sites/books list any name that’s been used (I assume they use the SSA list?) and list alternate spellings as well. Someone mentioned Behind the Name - that’s my go to site for finding out if a name or spelling is “legit” and I get origins and meanings from here too. Any name that’s a modern invention or misspelled will either not show up or show up under a “user-submitted entry”. Anyways…
I think spelling it the most common way is the easiest. If there were a few alternate spellings for it that were decently popular, I’d say NMS but go for it, but I really think a [name]Rian[/name] is going to have a really annoying time spelling his name for everyone and having people assume it’s [name]Ryan[/name] (it’s not one of those names I’d think to ask how it’s spelled). If you really love that spelling or it has meaning to you, sure. If you’re just trying to be different, I wouldn’t do it.