| Riya | Diya | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | singer; graceful | Lamp, light |
| Origin | sanskrit | sanskrit |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | REE-yah | DEE-yuh |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 0 | 1991 |
| Peak year | 2005 (291) | 2009 (309) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 119 |
| Trend | Steady | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Riya | Diya |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 1,146 | 789 |
| 2010s | 2,525 | 2,313 |
| 2000s | 2,341 | 1,916 |
| 1990s | 261 | 61 |
Commonly given as Sanskrit-derived riya (रिया), 'singer' or 'graceful'. It is not well attested in classical Sanskrit literature, so this meaning is popular rather than firmly documented.
From the Hindi दीया (diyā), 'an oil lamp', descended from the Sanskrit dīpa ('lamp, light'). A genuine, everyday Hindi word evoking the lamps of Diwali.
Diya is more popular than Riya today: about 119 US babies were given the name Diya in 2025, compared with 0 named Riya.
Riya means singer; graceful (sanskrit origin), while Diya means Lamp, light (sanskrit origin).
In US records, Riya first appears in 0 and Diya in 1991, so Riya has the longer recorded history.