Ryan Trahan Back Story: bio, age, ethnicity, height, wife, net worth

Ryan Trahan Back Story

Ryan Trahan’s career journey goes all the way back to Fall 2013, when he, at age 15 and a high school sophomore, started sharing his life on YouTube as part of his ‘running and vlogging’ content.

Now, Ryan originally posted videos about his high school cross country running but quickly found a love for creating comedy and lifestyle vlogs, which eventually became the main content type of his channel.

And, while his first start was in the Fall of 2013, the turning point of his career was in 2021, when he began the YouTube, “Penny series.” One of his videos from the series title “I Survived On $0.01 For 30 Days”, went insanely viral, so much so that it gained millions of views within days. Looking at our timeline, he was 22 years old at this point.

Now in 2025, he is represented by Night Media, creating comedy, lifestyle, and charity-focused content while, on the side, running successful businesses like Neptune Bottle, Hydra Collective, and Joyride Sweets.

Well… that’s Ryan Trahan’s back story. But, there’s even more, so The GenZStars Team will just go ‘head and tell you everything else the team found out about him. :))

Wiki Profile Rundown

• Real Name: Ryan Michael Trahan
• Last Name: Trahan
• Birthday: October 7, 1998 (Born on a Wednesday)
• Age: 27 Years Old (Creators)
• Birthplace: Sugar Land, Texas, U.S.
• Nationality: American
• Zodiac Sign: Libra (Creators)
• Profession: YouTube Star, Entrepreneur
• Years Active: 2013 – Present
• Management: Night Media
• Biz Email Address: hi@trahan.co

Early Life & Education

Ryan Trahan, whose real name is Ryan Michael Trahan, was born on October 7, 1998, in Sugar Land, Texas, and is currently 27 years old. Raised in Eagle Lake, a small town in Texas, he grew up with his parents and older brother, Matthew, in a very supportive household.

His passion for running shaped his teen years, as he is recorded to have competed in cross country races during his high school days. He shared his experiences on YouTube, which pretty much gave birth to what his YouTube career is today.

Now, Ryan Trahan attended Rice High School in Altair, Texas, graduating as valedictorian in Winter 2017, at which point he was 18. For college, he enrolled at Texas A&M University, where he ran track and cross country, placing third in the 2017 Aggieland Open.

In Fall 2017, however, he dropped out after the NCAA ruled him ineligible for promoting his businesses. This then made him focus solely on pursuing his YouTube and entrepreneurship career full-time. He now lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife, Haley Pham.

Family Life & Ancestry

Ryan Trahan shares a close relationship with his family, including his parents and older brother, Matthew Trahan, who sometimes joins him in videos, like running challenges or family Q&As.

His parents, whose names he keeps mostly private, supported his running and early content creation but stayed out of the public eye. Family moments, like Matthew’s cameos, add a warm touch to his vlogs.

And, speaking of family, his ancestry is pretty diverse; with a DNA test showing 69% Irish heritage and one-quarter Costa Rican descent from his paternal grandfather. He also has bits and pieces of Acadian French, English, Scottish, German, Czech, Swiss, Welsh, Spanish, and Swedish roots. Apparently: his last name, “Trahan,” traces back to German and French roots.

Now, his paternal grandmother, Winifred Marie Trahan, was born in Texas to Wilton Antonio Trahan with Acadian French, Spanish, English, Swiss roots, and Lucille Marie Lamb with English, Irish, Swedish ethnic background.

His maternal grandparents, Kevin Robertson (of English, Scottish, Irish, German origins) and Tommi Elizabeth Collins (with Czech, English, Scottish, Irish, German, French, Swiss, Welsh roots), add to this mix.

Relationship Timeline

Ryan Trahan has been married to YouTube creator Haley Pham since November 8, 2020. They started dating in Fall 2018 after a video collaboration; Ryan was nearly 20 years old and Haley was nearly 18 years old at the time.

A few months into their relationship, they launched “The Traphamily,” a joint YouTube channel, in 2019 for couple’s skits and challenges as they grew in love and planned their lives together.

Ryan then proposed in May 2020 at Big Bend National Park, and they got married in a small Austin ceremony in November of the same year. They share their relationship in videos, from travel to charity projects, and have no children… at least not yet.

Ryan credits Haley’s faith for his own, noting in a 2020 video, “I was a cynical atheist, but I landed on Jesus… It’s my source of joy.” So, before Ryan Trahan became a practicing Christian, as he currently is, he was an atheist.

Before Haley, Ryan’s dating history is not public; so Haley is pretty much his first public relationship. Having been married for five years and counting, Ryan was 22 years old while Haley was nearly 20 years old when they got married in November 2020.

Body Measurement

• Height in feet: 5 feet 9 inches
• Height in cm: 175 cm
• Weight in kg: 68 kg
• Weight in pounds: 150 lbs
• Ethnicity: Mixed (Irish, Costa Rican, French, English, others)
• Eye Color: Brown eye color
• Hair Color: Brown hair color
• Religion: Christian religion

Career Timeline

Ryan Trahan began filming running videos as a teen. In 2013, at 15, he started his YouTube channel, posting about cross country races and daily life. By 2016, he built a small audience for his running content, gaining local recognition as a Texas A&M athlete.

His 2017 Aggieland Open third-place finish was a highlight, shared in early vlogs. After dropping out of Texas A&M in 2018 due to NCAA ineligibility for promoting his businesses, he shifted to comedy and lifestyle content.

In 2019, he founded Neptune Bottle and Hydra Collective, focusing on sustainable products and clothing. His 2021 “I Survived On $0.01 For 30 Days” series went viral, drawing millions of views and boosting his subscribers past 10 million.

In 2022, Ryan Trahan became co-owner and Chief Creative Officer of Joyride Sweets, launching low-sugar candies in flavors like strawberry and blue raspberry, which sold out quickly on its launch. He won a Streamy Award for Breakout Creator in 2022 and First Person in 2023.

In 2025, he and Haley completed the 50 States in 50 Days challenge, raising $11.58 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, a milestone he called “the greatest blessing of our lives” in a post.

He continues to produce monthly content for Joyride and create YouTube videos under Night Media’s management.

Net Worth & Social Media Stats

Ryan Trahan’s net worth is estimated to be $9.4 million, earned mainly from YouTube ad revenue; averaging $3.5 million annually from 34.94 million monthly views, plus his businesses, Neptune Bottle, Hydra Collective, and Joyride Sweets, and merch sales like his Howdy line of hoodies and shorts.

Here’s the thing: he owns three personal YouTube channels, with his main channel having 5.3 billion all-time views, second channel with 66.2 million all-time views, and third channel with 4.5 million all-time. Now, giving all the businesses he owns and the brands paid partnerships, his net worth is estimated at $9.4 million.

• TikTok: @trahan1m, 2.5 million followers, 17 million likes
• Instagram: @ryantrahan, 3.5 million followers
• X: @RyanTrahan, 154.3 thousand followers
• Snapchat: @rytrahan, 421.5 thousand subscribers
• YouTube: @ryan, 21.7 million subscribers, 5.3 billion views
• YouTube: @rytrahan, 1.68 million subscribers, 66.2 million views
• YouTube: @ryanlol, 253 thousand subscribers, 4.5 million views

Rumors & Public Perception

In Fall 2017, Ryan Trahan faced criticism when the NCAA declared him ineligible to compete at Texas A&M for promoting his businesses, so that he later decided to drop out. Now, people mainly criticized him for dropping out of college, especially given that he could’ve stayed back and sorted everything out… at the right time. Some saw it as a bold move, while others called it reckless.

In 2022, his “Penny series” sparked online debates, with some viewers labeling it “staged.” In a video response, Ryan responded by saying, “It’s real effort, real hustle.”

His charity work, like raising $11.58 million for St. Jude in 2025 with his wife, Haley, and his Streamy Awards (Breakout Creator 2022, First Person 2023) have built his reputation as a creative, hardworking YouTuber.

While some skeptics question his authenticity, his engaging content and entrepreneurial ventures keep him widely admired… so, generally, Ryan Trahan is considered “a hardworking, goal oriented creator” than he is considered anything else.