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The short answer
Reese is the Anglicized form of Rhys, a Welsh name Behind the Name traces to Old Welsh Ris, probably meaning "ardour, enthusiasm." Several medieval Welsh rulers bore the underlying name, including the 12th-century Rhys ap Gruffydd. Reese is also used as a feminine name, a use Behind the Name credits to actress Reese Witherspoon. It is pronounced REESE. In the United States, db/list-batch.mjs's SSA 2025 figures place Reese at #603 among boys' names and #192 among girls' names.
Meaning and etymology
Behind the Name gives Reese as the "Anglicized form of Rhys," and the linked Rhys entry traces the name to Old Welsh Ris, "probably meaning 'ardour, enthusiasm,'" borne by several Welsh rulers including the 12th-century Rhys ap Gruffydd. The Reese entry adds that its feminine use was "popularized by the American actress Reese Witherspoon."
Editorial confidence: likely
Linguistic roots
| Language | Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Old Welsh | ris | ardour, enthusiasm |
Popularity
According to db/list-batch.mjs's SSA 2025 figures, Reese ranked #603 among boys' names and #192 among girls' names in the United States in 2025. The cached Behind the Name facts for Reese carry no numeric rank to cross-check against.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States (boys) | 2025 | #603 | ssa-2025 |
| United States (girls) | 2025 | #192 | ssa-2025 |
United States, 2025: #192 (Social Security Administration)
Nicknames, variants, and related names
Nicknames: None documented.
Related names: Rhys, Price, Rice
What the name feels like
Reese is a crisp, one-syllable name that reads as contemporary and gender-flexible, having crossed decisively from its originally masculine Welsh roots into wide feminine use through celebrity influence.
Style tags: Welsh, unisex, one syllable, celebrity-influenced
Editorial interpretation: This style read is editorial opinion. Behind the Name records the etymology and the celebrity-driven feminine use, not a style classification.
If you like this name
Other Welsh-derived names, or unisex one-syllable names of similar sound.
Similar by origin
Similar by sound
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Reese mean?
Reese probably means "ardour, enthusiasm," from the Old Welsh Ris. It is the Anglicized form of the Welsh name Rhys.
Is Reese a boy's name or a girl's name?
Both. It was originally a masculine Welsh name, but Behind the Name notes it is also used as a feminine name, popularized by actress Reese Witherspoon; in the United States it ranked #603 for boys and #192 for girls in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.
Is Reese the same name as Rhys?
Yes, Reese is the Anglicized spelling of the Welsh name Rhys.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Reese — supports etymology, history.
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Rhys — supports etymology (root gloss), history.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
