Rihannah
- Gender
- Girl
- Say it
- ree-AN-a
- Origin
- Arabic
Rihannah is a girls' name of Arabic origin, meaning “sweet basil”. Too few babies were given it in the latest year to rank.
What does Rihannah mean?
Arabic: spelling of Rihanna; probably from Arabic Rayhana
“sweet basil”
Usually linked to Arabic Rayhana, sweet basil; the name became widely known through the Barbadian singer Rihanna.
Meaning borrowed from Rihanna. More on Wiktionary.
Is Rihannah a girl's or a boy's name?
Rihannah is a girls' name.
How popular is Rihannah in the UK?
No girls in the UK were given it in 2025, or too few to be listed. Its busiest year was 2008, with 8 girls.
Rihannah in the UK, year by year
| Year | Girls | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 | #7,664 |
| 2015 | 0 | – |
| 2014 | 0 | – |
| 2013 | 0 | – |
| 2012 | 3 | #6,108 |
| 2011 | 0 | – |
| 2010 | 0 | – |
| 2009 | 4 | #4,795 |
| 2008 | 8 | #2,895 |
| 2007 | 1 | #7,017 |
| 2006 | 7 | #2,940 |
Names like Rihannah
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Aaliyah, Ruqayyah, Aaminah, Farah, Umaymah, Summer, Sumayyah, Nusaybah, Umamah, Safa, Rufaidah, Aakifah
Names related to Rihannah
Rihanna, Rhianna, Rianna, Rihana, Rhiann, Rhiana, Rheanna, Rhiannan
More Arabic names
Muhammad, Layla, Mohammed, Lyla, Mohammad, Zara, Amir, Amira, Fatima, Ali, Yahya, Zayn, Aisha, Omar, Zahra, Hamza
Sources
Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland) and Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.
To cite this page: Nameling, “Rihannah: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/rihannah, updated 20 October 2026.