Rhiannon is a Welsh mythological name meaning great queen or divine queen.
Rhiannon is one of the great names of Welsh tradition. It is generally traced to an older Celtic form, often reconstructed as Rigantona, meaning "great queen" or "divine queen." In medieval Welsh literature, especially the Mabinogi, Rhiannon is a majestic and enigmatic figure: a woman of otherworldly poise who rides a white horse, chooses her own husband, endures profound injustice, and emerges with dignity intact.
Scholars have long noted her likely connection to older Celtic goddess traditions, particularly those linked with sovereignty, horses, and fertility. Even before it became a modern given name, Rhiannon carried the aura of myth, authority, and magic. As a personal name, Rhiannon moved from literary memory into broader modern use in the 20th century, and its biggest popular culture surge came after Fleetwood Mac's 1976 song "Rhiannon."
That song did not invent the name, but it gave it a global afterlife, wrapping its Welsh roots in a haze of mystery, lyric beauty, and feminine power. Since then, Rhiannon has appealed to parents who want a name that feels ancient without being dusty, romantic without being fragile. It still suggests moonlit folklore and Celtic legend, but it also feels contemporary: intelligent, self-possessed, and musically memorable. Few names manage to sound at once literary, mythic, and modern; Rhiannon does.