Unisex nameCurrently #190 in the USSteady
Reese
REESE//riːs//
1 syllablePeak year: 20075 lettersStarts with R
Meaning & origin
Ardor, enthusiasm
Reese is an anglicized spelling of the Welsh Rhys, meaning ardor or enthusiasm, historically a boys' name that has become genuinely unisex in the US since the 1990s. Its crisp, one-syllable sound works comfortably for both.
Reese's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Reese |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 6 |
| 1881 | 8 |
| 1882 | 8 |
| 1883 | 8 |
| 1884 | 10 |
| 1885 | 8 |
| 1886 | 10 |
| 1888 | 7 |
| 1889 | 16 |
| 1891 | 11 |
| 1892 | 11 |
| 1893 | 12 |
| 1894 | 9 |
| 1895 | 8 |
| 1896 | 8 |
| 1897 | 15 |
| 1898 | 9 |
| 1899 | 8 |
| 1900 | 10 |
| 1901 | 9 |
| 1902 | 12 |
| 1903 | 5 |
| 1904 | 11 |
| 1905 | 13 |
| 1906 | 8 |
| 1907 | 8 |
| 1908 | 15 |
| 1909 | 12 |
| 1910 | 26 |
| 1911 | 15 |
| 1912 | 22 |
| 1913 | 27 |
| 1914 | 41 |
| 1915 | 48 |
| 1916 | 52 |
| 1917 | 50 |
| 1918 | 45 |
| 1919 | 50 |
| 1920 | 44 |
| 1921 | 66 |
| 1922 | 49 |
| 1923 | 61 |
| 1924 | 65 |
| 1925 | 45 |
| 1926 | 50 |
| 1927 | 50 |
| 1928 | 54 |
| 1929 | 40 |
| 1930 | 39 |
| 1931 | 39 |
| 1932 | 41 |
| 1933 | 27 |
| 1934 | 30 |
| 1935 | 34 |
| 1936 | 33 |
| 1937 | 42 |
| 1938 | 36 |
| 1939 | 36 |
| 1940 | 34 |
| 1941 | 25 |
| 1942 | 41 |
| 1943 | 52 |
| 1944 | 40 |
| 1945 | 32 |
| 1946 | 41 |
| 1947 | 38 |
| 1948 | 42 |
| 1949 | 52 |
| 1950 | 51 |
| 1951 | 37 |
| 1952 | 44 |
| 1953 | 49 |
| 1954 | 48 |
| 1955 | 56 |
| 1956 | 58 |
| 1957 | 62 |
| 1958 | 48 |
| 1959 | 55 |
| 1960 | 44 |
| 1961 | 50 |
| 1962 | 55 |
| 1963 | 42 |
| 1964 | 46 |
| 1965 | 60 |
| 1966 | 81 |
| 1967 | 68 |
| 1968 | 66 |
| 1969 | 46 |
| 1970 | 70 |
| 1971 | 53 |
| 1972 | 48 |
| 1973 | 36 |
| 1974 | 55 |
| 1975 | 40 |
| 1976 | 49 |
| 1977 | 54 |
| 1978 | 44 |
| 1979 | 38 |
| 1980 | 53 |
| 1981 | 47 |
| 1982 | 53 |
| 1983 | 46 |
| 1984 | 54 |
| 1985 | 88 |
| 1986 | 88 |
| 1987 | 87 |
| 1988 | 105 |
| 1989 | 131 |
| 1990 | 132 |
| 1991 | 131 |
| 1992 | 180 |
| 1993 | 186 |
| 1994 | 196 |
| 1995 | 220 |
| 1996 | 250 |
| 1997 | 293 |
| 1998 | 440 |
| 1999 | 671 |
| 2000 | 841 |
| 2001 | 949 |
| 2002 | 1,289 |
| 2003 | 1,705 |
| 2004 | 1,939 |
| 2005 | 2,112 |
| 2006 | 2,830 |
| 2007 | 2,950 |
| 2008 | 2,837 |
| 2009 | 2,810 |
| 2010 | 2,798 |
| 2011 | 2,852 |
| 2012 | 2,935 |
| 2013 | 2,482 |
| 2014 | 2,379 |
| 2015 | 2,217 |
| 2016 | 2,207 |
| 2017 | 2,116 |
| 2018 | 2,176 |
| 2019 | 2,128 |
| 2020 | 2,214 |
| 2021 | 2,265 |
| 2022 | 2,155 |
| 2023 | 2,105 |
| 2024 | 2,044 |
Reese through the decades
- Reese peaked in 2007, when 2,950 babies were named Reese in the US.
- The 2010s were Reese's strongest decade, averaging 2,429 births a year.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Reese has fallen 20% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Reese currently ranks #190 in the US and is holding steady.
Nicknames
Reese
Variants & spellings
RhysReece
Famous people named Reese
- Reese Witherspoon — actress