Reesa Name Meaning & Historical Trends

Reesa

Pronunciation: REE-suh

Meaning Ardor, enthusiasm Gender Girl
GIRLS RANK
#14,548
TREND
2,656

Rank shows the name’s position among U.S. baby names for each gender in 2025. Trend shows how many places it rose or fell since 2024. Rank 1 is the most popular. Based on U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) data. Peak and lowest years are based on the number of girls named Reesa in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Reesa

  • 748 babies named Reesa: U.S. records list 748 babies given the name Reesa from 1880 through 2025.

What Does the Name Reesa Mean?

Reesa is usually explained as a feminine spelling of Reese, the English form of the Welsh name Rhys. The Welsh word rhys means "ardor" or "enthusiasm," and that is the sense carried over into the English name. A separate and less certain explanation treats Reesa as a short form of Theresa, the name known in Spanish and Portuguese as Teresa; Theresa's origin is not settled, and the meaning sometimes given for it is not securely established. The two explanations are independent - the similar sound of Reesa and Teresa does not mean the Welsh name and the Theresa tradition are related. Which derivation applies to any particular Reesa cannot be determined from the spelling.

Reesa Name History & Origins

Rhys was a common name among Welsh princes and landowners in the Middle Ages. The best known is Rhys ap Gruffydd (1132 - 1197), ruler of Deheubarth in south Wales, often called the Lord Rhys. In Welsh the name opens with a voiceless r and sounds close to "HREES"; English speakers simplified this to the "REES" pronunciation. Surnames such as Rees, Reece, and Reese grew out of the given name, and from those surnames came the modern English given name Reese. Reese was long used for boys in Wales and England, and in the United States it was also adopted for girls. Reesa is one of the spellings that marks the feminine use, with a final -a doing the same work it does in many English feminine forms.

A separate use of Reesa is as a shortened or altered form of Theresa. Theresa's own etymology is disputed; the long-proposed link to a Greek word for harvesting or hunting has never been confirmed, and other explanations have been offered. The name spread widely in Catholic Europe in the forms Teresa and Theresa, and short forms that drop the opening syllable - Resa, Tresa, Reesa - occur alongside the full name. A Reesa today could descend from either tradition, and the spelling alone does not show which.

How Popular is the Name Reesa?

Reesa has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 1963. Its best rank was #2,760 in 1963.

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.

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 Reesa 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.

Creative and outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. Easily getting bored, you can move from one job to another, switch projects and lovers. The high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.

✦ Reesa's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Reesa's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.
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