Origin, Meaning, And History of Ronin
Ronin is a popular masculine name that has debated origins. Historians speculate that Ronin can have both English and Japanese origins. In English, Ronin is a proclaimed variant of the Irish name Rónán, which is derived from the Old Irish word rón, meaning ‘seal’ or ‘little seal.’
On the other hand, in the Japanese language, Ronin may have derived from the Japanese word rōnin, implying ‘wanderer’ or ‘drifter,’ which is further derived from the Middle Chinese words lang and nyin, symbolizing ‘adrift’ and ‘person,’ respectively.
In the 12th century, Ronin was prevalent in Japan due to its reference to ‘masterless samurai.’ Samurais are the equivalent of knights in the English culture in medieval times. A masterless samurai may indicate the death of a master, a wretched or crooked samurai, or losing privileges with a master.
It is important to highlight that Japanese cultures were harsh towards the samurais who were masterless and often prompted them to end their lives by suicide as a ritual. With the passage of time and awareness of civility and empathy, many village men began to hire these samurais as bodyguards, earning them respect.
According to legend, at the start of the 18th century, 47 rōnin had gathered and vowed to take revenge for their master’s killing, which resulted in the huge popularization of the name Ronin as well. People wished to name their boys Ronin because of their strong historical and warrior-like significance.
In popular culture, Ronin has been used as a reference in various samurai comic books, like theMarvel universeor the seriesUsagi Yojimbo. A film titled Ronin and directed by John Frankenheimer was released in 1998. it was inspired by the stories of samurais and Ronins. A 2013 film by Carl Rinsch was named 47 Ronins to pay homage to the historical account from the 18th century.
How To Pronounce Ronin?
Ronin On The Popularity Chart
The modern appeal of Ronin adds a unique dimension to it, which is quite evident from its increasing popularity. Take a closer look at the graphs below to understand the trend better.
Popularity Over Time
Over the years, Ronin’s popularity was growing consistently, with 790 babies per million being given the name in 2020.
Source:Social Security AdministrationRank Over Time
Despite its uniqueness, Ronin was not able to strike a chord with people and was mostly ranked lower than 18000.
Source:Social Security AdministrationNames With Similar Sound As Ronin
Take a look at the alternative names if you like the sound of Ronin. Scroll down.
Popular Sibling Names For Ronin
Other Popular Names Beginning With R
Names With Similar Meaning As Ronin
If you like the meaning of Ronin, here are some more names with similar meanings. Check them out.
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How To Communicate The Name In Other Languages
In Nautical Flags
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In Sign Language
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In Braille Alphabet
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In Morse Code
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Name Numerology For Ronin
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the meaning of the name Ronin?
The name Ronin means a little seal.
2. What is the origin of the name Ronin?
Ronin has a Celtic origin.
3. How to pronounce the name Ronin?
Ronin is pronounced as ro-neen.
