Riot

English word name
"violent civil disorder"

Riot Origin and Meaning

The name Riot is a boy's name meaning "violent civil disorder".

Riot has all the sounds of a trendy name — the first syllable that of trendy choices like Ryder, Ryker, and Rylan, rhyming with Wyatt. But the strong negative connotations of the word, suggesting violence, turn many (but not all) parents away from Riot as a baby name. Ryatt, one step removed, is more common.

Riot has positive associations as well, as when used to describe someone funny or outrageous. And then there's the famous quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, "A riot is the language of the unheard", which sheds light on the way marginalized communities have used riots to make their voices heard.

If anyone can make a name like Riot mainstream, it's Rihanna. Keeping with their R theme, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky named their second son Riot Rose, brother to RZA. Riot substantially rose in popularity between 2021 and 2022 — this starbaby should only accelerate its growth.

Riot Popularity