Boy name · Old English
Reed
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: red-hairedReed is a boy's name that comes from Old English and means "red-haired". It is used in English.
- Meaning
- Red-haired
- Origin
- Old English
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #419 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Reed
As a boy's name, Reed comes from Old English and means "red-haired". It is used in English.
Reed is also a surname: the 75th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 268,584 people. See the most common last names.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Reed on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Reed on 2 lists.
“Red-haired; Old English, and a soft waterside plant”
From Cute boy names, cute nature names for boys
“Tall wetland plant for a tall-tailed builder”
From Beaver names, woodland and river beaver names
How popular is Reed?
- US rank in 2025
- #419
- 770 babies, 451 per million boys
- Best rank
- #318 in 2014
- 1,096 babies that year
- Babies since 1881
- At least 36,056
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 69 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 120 per million |
| 1900s | 129 per million |
| 1910s | 118 per million |
| 1920s | 111 per million |
| 1930s | 82 per million |
| 1940s | 93 per million |
| 1950s | 123 per million |
| 1960s | 88 per million |
| 1970s | 88 per million |
| 1980s | 120 per million |
| 1990s | 231 per million |
| 2000s | 281 per million |
| 2010s | 479 per million |
| 2020s | 427 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #351 | #379 | #378 | #402 | #450 | #415 | #416 | #431 | #423 | #419 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of Reed
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- ReidRed-haired (Old English, boy)
Names spelled like Reed
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- ReeseArdor, enthusiasm (Welsh, unisex)
- RemyOarsman, rower (Latin, unisex)
- ReneReborn (Latin, unisex)
- ReiTinkling jade (depends on characters) (Japanese, unisex)
- RémiOarsman, rower (Latin, boy)
- RenLotus; love (depends on characters) (Japanese, unisex)
- RetoOf Rhaetia (Latin, boy)
- RexKing (Latin, boy)
- RezaContentment, satisfaction (Arabic, boy)
Names with a similar meaning
- RoryRed king (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- BarryFair-haired (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- CassidyCurly-haired (Irish Gaelic, unisex)
- RowanLittle red one (Irish Gaelic, unisex)
- RoyRed (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- RufinaRed-haired (Latin, girl)
- AkaneDeep red, madder (Japanese, girl)
- BarraFair-haired (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- CheyenneRed speakers (Lakota, girl)
- CrispinCurly-haired (Latin, boy)
- FionnbharrFair-haired (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- FlannBlood red (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- FlannaitLittle red one (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- FlannánLittle red one (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- GaranceMadder plant, used for red dye (French, girl)
Middle names for Reed
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Old English
- EdgarWealthy spear (Old English, boy)
- AlfredElf counsel (Old English, boy)
- EduardRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- StormTempest (Old English, unisex)
- AlfredoElf counsel (Old English, boy)
- EduardoRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- GrahamFrom a surname from the place name Grantham, probably gravelly homestead (Old English, boy)
- HarperHarp player (Old English, unisex)
- KnoxRound hill (Old English, boy)
- LindenLime tree (Old English, unisex)
- LindsayLincoln island (Old English, unisex)
- OsmundGod protector (Old English, boy)
- OswaldPower of a god (Old English, boy)
- RutherfordCattle ford (Old English, boy)
- StewartSteward (Old English, boy)
- SundayDay of the sun (Old English, unisex)
- AelfricElf ruler (Old English, boy)
- ÆlfricElf ruler (Old English, boy)
Reed: common questions
What does the name Reed mean?
Reed comes from Old English and means "red-haired".
Is Reed a boy or girl name?
Reed is mainly a boy's name. In 2025, 14 girls and 770 boys in the US were named Reed, according to Social Security Administration data.
Where does the name Reed come from?
Reed comes from Old English and means "red-haired". Today it is used in English.
How popular is the name Reed?
Reed ranked #419 in the US in 2025, with 770 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Reed?
Forms of Reed with the same meaning and origin include Reid (English).
What middle names go with Reed?
Middle names that flow well with Reed include Ambrose, Carlton, Chase, Dennis and Lincoln. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.