-: Why the name RYU is popular in Videogames?

They always named them as RYU, but why?

Many Videogame characters uses named RYU like in Street Fighter or in Ninja Gaiden, Breath of Fire, and a lot more, but why? Is there really a standard for this or just for popularity?

Well actually, not only in Videogames, but also in real life, not all of them was a fan of Videogames. But in addition, how to properly pronounce it? is it (RA-YU) or just plain (RI-YU).

So now, let us see why the name RYU is popular.

First, let us see the origin and the meaning of the word Ryu:
Ryū (龍, 竜, 隆, りゅう, リュウ Ryū) is a Japanese origin name (which can be both a masculine first name or a family name) meaning Dragon.

Well if you read some Japanese Mythology, they are fascinated with Dragon, but not like American or Western Dragons, this Eastern Dragons are long and serpent like creatures, with legs and claws, they said it lives in the Ocean or Clouds or in Heaven.

In Korea, dragons are called Yong, it has four toes, meanwhile, in China dragons are called Long, which has five toes and could fly without wings. Japanese dragons sometimes could fly, but the original description was just like a Serpents.

A Japanese dragon also known as Ryu or Tatsu, so if you hear a name Ryu or Tatsu, It simply mean Strong and Powerful.

So we can while Ryu mean assume that they just want the character to be Strong and Powerful, so they name them Ryu or Tatsu.

Here are the list we could get where RYU is used:
Kairyu, Dragonite ("Pokemon" species) in Japanese Version