Reese
Meaning
ardor, enthusiasm
The story
Reese is an Anglicized spelling of Welsh Rhys, traditionally connected with ardor or enthusiasm. Reece and Rees sit nearby, while Rhys keeps the older Welsh shape. Reese was historically masculine, but American actress Reese Witherspoon helped make the spelling familiar for girls as well, and modern US use spans both sexes. The displayed curve begins to move in the 1990s, rises again in the 2000s, and holds its highest level through the 2010s and 2020s. That steady plateau matters more than a single famous bearer: it shows that Reese became a lasting unisex choice, not merely a short celebrity echo. One syllable lets it travel easily, but its roots are not generic surname style. Beneath the streamlined English spelling is a specifically Welsh personal name with centuries of history.
Popularity, 1890–2024
Shape drawn from US Social Security baby-name records. Reese peaked in the 2010s and the 2020s in nearly equal measure.
When you meet Reese
Most people given the name Reese in the United States are children or teenagers today. The name belongs to this generation.
Estimated from US Social Security birth registrations and typical lifespans; a rough guide, not a rule.
The Reese deep dive
Whether you’re naming a baby or exploring your own name’s history, this is a personal letter, not a list: where Reese truly comes from, how it traveled, and what a century of records reveals. If you have grown a tree on nametree, it also considers how Reese fits with your family’s names and surname.
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