Rhiannah as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Rhiannah

What is the meaning of the name Rhiannah ?

The baby name Rhiannah is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced ree-AN-ə (IPA: /riːˈænə/).

Rhiannah is Welsh in Origin.

Rhiannah is a modern elaboration of Rhianna/Rihanna, themselves shortened forms of the Welsh mythic name Rhiannon. In Welsh tradition and the medieval Mabinogion tales, Rhiannon is linked to a sovereignty figure often compared with the Celtic goddess Rigantona; the name is traced to Proto-Celtic rigantona, meaning "great" or "divine queen." Through Anglicization and creative spelling, Rhiannah preserves the Welsh Rh- and the lilting cadence while softening Rhiannon’s final syllable.

Usage spread in the Anglophone world in the 20th century, with Rhiannon boosted by Fleetwood Mac’s 1975 song; Rhianna/Rihanna rose in the 1980s-2000s, popularized further by the Barbadian singer. Rhiannah remains the rarer, decorative spelling, seen in the UK, Australia, and the US. Note that Rihanna can also reflect Arabic Rayhana/Rayhanah ("sweet basil; fragrance"), but Rhiannah generally follows the Welsh line. Related forms include Rhiannon, Rhianna, Rihanna, Rhian, Rhianne, Rhiana, Rianna, and Rayhana/Rehana.