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Reese Name Meaning, Origins & History

Reese

Pronunciation: REES

Meaning Enthusiasm Origin surnames, Welsh Gender Unisex
GIRLS RANK
#192
TREND
2
BOYS RANK
#603
TREND
17
Peak Years
2012, 2011, 2007
Lowest Years
1959, 1924, 1995
Energy Archetype
Generous & Compassionate

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 Reese in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Reese

  • More than 64 thousand babies named Reese: U.S. records list 64,374 babies given the name Reese from 1880 through 2025. Of these, 19,604 boys received the name Reese - about 1 boy for every 2 girls.

What Does the Name Reese Mean?

Reese is an English-language given name derived from the Welsh personal name Rhys. The customary meaning of Rhys is 'ardor' or 'enthusiasm,' from an Old Welsh form Ris and a Celtic element reconstructed as rīs-. The exact sense of that element is not certain, and a less common explanation connects it with a Celtic root for 'king.' The meaning 'enthusiasm' is therefore a traditional gloss rather than a literal translation of the modern English spelling. Reese is an anglicized form of Rhys, so it carries the same inherited meaning, and it is not a separate English word with an independent sense.

Reese Name History & Origins

Rhys was borne by Welsh rulers in the Middle Ages. Rhys ap Tewdwr, prince of Deheubarth, died in 1093, and his grandson Rhys ap Gruffydd, known as the Lord Rhys, ruled Deheubarth in the late twelfth century. Medieval Welsh records use forms such as Ris and later Rhys. When Welsh names were written in English, Rhys was spelled as Rees, Reece, or Reese. These forms also became hereditary Welsh surnames. The surname Rees or Reese comes from the personal name Rhys; the patronymic ap Rhys ('son of Rhys') usually developed into the separate surname Price, not Reese. The given name Reese in the English-speaking world is mainly a transferred use of the surname. In the United States, Reese has been recorded as a given name since at least the 19th century. It is used for boys and also for girls, where it is often treated as a variant of Reece. The actress Reese Witherspoon carries it as a family surname used as a first name, an example of that surname-to-given-name pattern.

How Popular is the Name Reese?

Reese recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2012. Its best rank was #128 in 2012.

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 Reese 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 are very intuitive. You have a reservoir of inspired wisdom combined with inherited analytical ability, which could reward you through expressions of spiritual leadership, business analysis, marketing, artistic visions, and scientific research. Operating on spiritual side of your individuality can bring you to the great heights, and drop you off if you neglect your spiritual identity. You are always looking for an opportunity to investigate the unknown, to use and show your mental abilities, to find the purpose and meaning of life. You want to grow wise and to understand people and things. You need privacy to replenish your energy. You have a unique way of thinking, intuitive, reflective, absorbing.

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