Reo Name Meaning & Historical Trends

Reo

Pronunciation: REE-oh

Meaning Voice or language (Māori); varies by kanji Gender Boy
BOYS RANK
#7,102
TREND
1,010

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 boys named Reo in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Reo

  • 862 babies named Reo: U.S. records list 862 babies given the name Reo from 1880 through 2025. Even 27 girls received the name Reo - about 1 girl for every 31 boys.

What Does the Name Reo Mean?

Reo has more than one independent origin, and those origins do not share a meaning. In Māori, reo is the ordinary word for "voice" or "language"; the phrase te reo ("the language") is the usual Māori way of referring to the Māori language, and Reo is used as a personal name in New Zealand. In Japanese, Reo is a masculine given name written either in kana or in kanji, and its sense depends on the characters chosen. A common spelling is 玲央, from 玲 (a tinkling jade sound) and 央 ("center"), but other combinations, such as 怜央 or 麗央, give different senses, so the name as a whole has no single fixed meaning. Spanish and Portuguese reo ("defendant, offender"), from Latin reus, is a separate word and is not the source of the given name.

Reo Name History & Origins

Māori reo is a word name: it comes directly from the language's common noun for "voice" or "language," rather than from an older personal name. In Japanese, Reo belongs to a large group of given names that share a pronunciation but differ in writing, since parents choose which kanji, if any, to use; the same sound is sometimes written only in kana. Because of this, Reo exists in Japanese as several distinct written names with the same sound.

In the English-speaking world Reo is uncommon. Reo Fortune (1903 - 1979), a New Zealand-born anthropologist known for fieldwork in Papua New Guinea, is a documented bearer of the name. The rock band REO Speedwagon took its name from the REO Speed Wagon, a truck built by the REO Motor Car Company, which was named from the initials of its founder, Ransom Eli Olds; that name comes from the vehicle rather than from the personal name.

How Popular is the Name Reo?

Reo 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 1917. Its best rank was #1,799 in 1917.

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.

Explore More Lists with Name Reo

Most Popular Boy Names That Start with R

See List of Most Popular Boy Names Starting with R

Short Boy Names That Start with R

Discover Short Boy Names Starting with R

How the Name Reo 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 always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.

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

Name Search