River

At a Glance: Name: River – Meaning: a naturally flowing body of water – Origin: English – Gender: Neutral – Pronunciation: RIV-er

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River is a name for a child of any gender, and true to its English origin, it means exactly what it says: a naturally flowing body of water. Said RIV-er, it has a plainspoken, outdoorsy feel, and rather than a recent arrival, it's one of those names that's simply been around and stuck.

Meaning & Origin of River

Meaning: A naturally flowing body of water.

Origin: English.

Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.

How to Pronounce River

Phonetic: RIV-er   IPA: /ˈrɪvər/

Popularity of River

River has held a steady spot on the SSA list, peaking at #105 in 2022 with 3,494 babies given the name, then easing slightly to #112 in 2024 with 3,138.

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1971–2024.

Make River Name Art

Free printable nursery art for River, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.

Names With a Similar Story

Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.

• Dallas
• Bay
• Blake
• Everly
• King
• Lily

FAQ

What does the name River mean?

A naturally flowing body of water. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/River)

How do you pronounce River?

River is pronounced RIV-er (IPA: /ˈrɪvər/).

Is River a popular name right now?

River is near its all-time peak (#105 in 2022), ranked #112 in 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1971–2024.)

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