How to say it
RO · nan
/ˈroʊ.nən/
Masculine
Ronan
Little seal
What it means
Anglicized Irish Rónán, from rón ('seal,' the marine mammal) + a diminutive suffix. Saint Ronan was a 6th-century Irish bishop; the name carries seal-mythology associations through Irish folklore.
Ronan is the anglicized Irish Rónán, from rón ('seal') + a diminutive suffix. Saint Ronan was a 6th-century Irish bishop and missionary; multiple churches in Ireland and Cornwall are dedicated to him. The seal connection runs deep in Irish folklore through the selkie myths — seal-women who become human on land. The English-speaking world adopted Ronan in the late 20th century alongside the broader Celtic-name revival; it's been in the US top 300 since 2014. Ronan Farrow (the journalist, son of Mia Farrow and Frank Sinatra) gave the name modern English-language anchor. Single short forms aren't common.
Popularity over time
peaked at #247 in 2025, currently #247 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pronunciation
ROH-nan, two syllables. The Irish Rónán has the accent on the O.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Ronan Farrow American investigative journalist, the New Yorker reporting on Harvey Weinstein
Spelling variants
- Rónán
- Ronen
Names with the same feeling
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