Fun Facts About the Name Red
- 395 babies named Red: U.S. records list 395 babies given the name Red from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Red Mean?
Red is an English word name meaning "the color red." It comes from the Old English adjective rēad, "red," which descends from Proto-Germanic *raudaz. The name has no separate root; it is simply the color adjective used as a personal name. Associations with blood, fire, or boldness are symbolic rather than etymological.
Red Name History & Origins
The color word is old in English: Old English rēad had a long vowel, and the modern form red developed in Middle English; related Germanic forms include Old Norse rauðr and German rot. In the Middle Ages, descriptive bynames were common in England, and a person with red hair or a ruddy complexion could be called Red. That nickname use is the usual background for the name.
In modern English-speaking countries, Red has been most familiar as a nickname rather than a formal given name. The entertainer Red Skelton was born Richard Skelton, and the baseball player Red Barber was born Walter Barber. Use as an independent first name is occasional and generally continues the nickname tradition.
How Popular is the Name Red?
Red recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2024. Its best rank was #975 in 1890.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #6,075 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2024 | #5,381 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2023 | #5,863 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2022 | #5,805 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2021 | #8,678 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2020 | #8,572 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2019 | #8,076 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2018 | #8,029 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2017 | #8,006 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2016 | #8,031 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2015 | #10,382 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2014 | #7,443 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2013 | #13,631 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2009 | #12,148 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2007 | #13,947 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 2001 | #11,911 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1963 | #4,497 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1952 | #4,143 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1950 | #4,092 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1934 | #4,104 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1933 | #3,559 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1932 | #3,306 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1931 | #4,214 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1929 | #4,431 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1928 | #2,364 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1927 | #2,671 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1926 | #3,323 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1925 | #2,066 | 16 | 0.0014% |
| 1924 | #3,785 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1923 | #2,578 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1922 | #3,194 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1920 | #2,576 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1919 | #2,364 | 13 | 0.0013% |
| 1918 | #3,637 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1917 | #3,889 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1916 | #2,239 | 13 | 0.0015% |
| 1915 | #1,948 | 15 | 0.0018% |
| 1914 | #2,077 | 11 | 0.0017% |
| 1913 | #2,059 | 9 | 0.0018% |
| 1911 | #1,942 | 5 | 0.0022% |
| 1909 | #1,414 | 6 | 0.0037% |
| 1906 | #1,220 | 6 | 0.0045% |
| 1890 | #975 | 6 | 0.0054% |
| 1888 | #1,152 | 5 | 0.0041% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Red Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are a law unto itself. Your tendency is to finish whatever you start. You are tolerant and like to help humanity. You are very active. You are generally warmhearted and gives freely of your time, energy, and sympathetic understanding. You have tolerance and acceptance of the frailties of others. Universal and humanitarian in outlook. This is very compassionate name. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Red's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Red's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.