River

Meaning of River

The name refers to a flowing body of water.

River has English roots — browse every English baby name in our catalog.

Popularity of River

River has held fairly steady, sitting around #111 in 2025 after peaking at #105 in 2022.

River as a girl's name

River is also used as a girl's name, currently ranked #220 in the US. Refers to a flowing body of water.

Notable people named River

• River Phoenix
  Actor and musician
• River Viiperi
  Spanish model
• River Butcher
  American stand-up comedian
• River Radamus
  American alpine ski racer
• River Hawkins
  English rugby player

More English names

Questions about the name River

What does the name River mean?

River means the name refers to a flowing body of water, and it comes from English origins.

Is River a boy's or a girl's name?

River is used for both boys and girls in the United States, which makes it a unisex name.

How popular is the name River?

In 2025, River ranked #111 for boys, up from #112 the year before and #220 for girls, down from #214 the year before.

When was River most popular?

River peaked at #105 in 2022.