Ryans Wanted: Mall of America Roller Coaster World Record Bid

If your name is Ryan, you might be exactly who event organizers need to make history this summer.

Ryan Meetup, an international organization that brings people named Ryan together, is attempting to set a world record on July 24. The goal is simple but delightfully specific: gather the most people with the same name to consecutively ride a roller coaster.

The event, called Ryde the Ryan Coaster, will take place at Minnesota's Mall of America near the Twin Cities. Event organizer Ryan Fisher is rallying Ryans from across the country to participate in what could become an official world record.

For anyone named Ryan, this isn't just a novelty event. It's a celebration of a name that dominated baby announcements throughout the 1990s and 2000s, when Ryan ranked among the top 20 names for boys in America. Today, it still holds strong in the top 100 most popular names.

The festivities don't stop after the coaster ride. A Ryan afterparty follows the record attempt, and the next day features a Ryan Baseball Classic with an on-field parade of Ryans at a Minnesota Twins game.

Sunny's Take

What makes this story shine is its pure, unfiltered joy. In a world that often takes itself too seriously, hundreds of people sharing a name are coming together for no reason other than to celebrate their connection and have fun.

The event welcomes supporters of all names to cheer on the Ryans. There's just one playful restriction: no Bryans allowed. It's the kind of harmless humor that makes the whole endeavor even more endearing.

Ryan Meetup has been organizing gatherings worldwide for years, creating unexpected communities based on nothing more than what people are called. This July's event represents their most ambitious project yet.

Whether they break the record or not, the real win is already happening: people connecting, laughing together, and proving that joy can come from the most unexpected places.