Fun Facts About the Name Riggs
- More than 2 thousand babies named Riggs: U.S. records list 2,991 babies given the name Riggs from 1880 through 2025. Even 5 girls received the name Riggs - about 1 girl for every 597 boys.
What Does the Name Riggs Mean?
Riggs is an English surname used as a given name, most commonly meaning "dweller on a ridge." It comes from Middle English rigge, "ridge" or "back," which derives from Old English hrycg. In northern England the same word was influenced by Old Norse hryggr, also "ridge." The surname therefore described someone who lived on or by a ridge. A less certain explanation treats Riggs as a patronymic from the medieval personal name Rigge, sometimes said to be a short form of Richard; under that reading the name would mean "son of Rigge." The final -s is probably a genitive or excrescent surname ending rather than a separate word for "son."
Riggs Name History & Origins
The surname Riggs developed in England during the Middle Ages, appearing in forms such as Rigg and Rigge, with Riggs as a later variant. It is chiefly associated with northern and western England, where Old Norse had a strong influence on local speech. The surname is also found in Ireland, where it may have arrived with English settlement. As a first name, Riggs is a transferred use of the surname. The fictional character Martin Riggs in the Lethal Weapon films is a modern use of the surname as a character name, not evidence of the name's origin.
How Popular is the Name Riggs?
Riggs recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2024. Its best rank was #668 in 2024.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | #17,254 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #776 | 329 | 0.0193% |
| 2024 | #668 | 410 | 0.0239% |
| 2023 | #733 | 359 | 0.0210% |
| 2022 | #704 | 374 | 0.0214% |
| 2021 | #793 | 311 | 0.0178% |
| 2020 | #947 | 232 | 0.0134% |
| 2019 | #1,215 | 157 | 0.0088% |
| 2018 | #1,298 | 141 | 0.0078% |
| 2017 | #1,431 | 121 | 0.0065% |
| 2016 | #2,131 | 66 | 0.0035% |
| 2015 | #2,129 | 66 | 0.0034% |
| 2014 | #2,484 | 51 | 0.0027% |
| 2013 | #2,515 | 49 | 0.0026% |
| 2012 | #2,756 | 44 | 0.0023% |
| 2011 | #3,412 | 32 | 0.0017% |
| 2010 | #3,693 | 29 | 0.0015% |
| 2009 | #4,557 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 2008 | #4,365 | 23 | 0.0011% |
| 2007 | #5,628 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2006 | #5,025 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2005 | #4,596 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2004 | #6,068 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2003 | #5,488 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2002 | #7,498 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2001 | #5,609 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2000 | #8,046 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1999 | #4,299 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1998 | #8,266 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1997 | #5,579 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1996 | #8,785 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #7,626 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1994 | #8,580 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #8,245 | 6 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Riggs Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are a law unto itself. Your tendency is to finish whatever you start. You are tolerant and like to help humanity. You are very active. You are generally warmhearted and gives freely of your time, energy, and sympathetic understanding. You have tolerance and acceptance of the frailties of others. Universal and humanitarian in outlook. This is very compassionate name. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Riggs's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Riggs's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.