Boy name · Old English
Reid
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: red-hairedReid is a boy's name that comes from Old English and means "red-haired". It is used in English and Scottish.
- Meaning
- Red-haired
- Origin
- Old English
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #293 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Reid
As a boy's name, Reid comes from Old English and means "red-haired". It is used in English and Scottish.
Reid is also a surname: the 281st most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 109,275 people. See the most common last names.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Reid on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Reid on 4 lists.
“Red-haired; Old English. Sleek Scottish surname”
From Boy middle names, one-syllable boy middle names
“Scottish surname from the Old English word for red”
From Orange cat names, names that mean red or fire
“Scots for red-haired, a common nickname”
From Pretty last names, short aesthetic last names
“Scots for red, for someone with red hair”
From Scottish last names, most common Scottish surnames
How popular is Reid?
- US rank in 2025
- #293
- 1,150 babies, 673 per million boys
- Best rank
- #259 in 2013
- Most babies: 1,432 in 2014
- Babies since 1886
- At least 40,791
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 10 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 56 per million |
| 1900s | 52 per million |
| 1910s | 54 per million |
| 1920s | 66 per million |
| 1930s | 48 per million |
| 1940s | 60 per million |
| 1950s | 88 per million |
| 1960s | 70 per million |
| 1970s | 99 per million |
| 1980s | 155 per million |
| 1990s | 248 per million |
| 2000s | 327 per million |
| 2010s | 673 per million |
| 2020s | 630 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #259 | #288 | #288 | #292 | #316 | #299 | #325 | #315 | #300 | #293 |
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 Reid
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- ReedRed-haired (Old English, boy)
Names spelled like Reid
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- ReiTinkling jade (depends on characters) (Japanese, unisex)
- RioRiver (Spanish, unisex)
- RemyOarsman, rower (Latin, unisex)
- ReneReborn (Latin, unisex)
- RainRain (Old English, unisex)
- RémiOarsman, rower (Latin, boy)
- RenLotus; love (depends on characters) (Japanese, unisex)
- RetoOf Rhaetia (Latin, boy)
- RexKing (Latin, 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)
Middle names for Reid
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)
Reid: common questions
What does the name Reid mean?
Reid comes from Old English and means "red-haired".
Is Reid a boy or girl name?
Reid is mainly a boy's name. In 2025, 34 girls and 1,150 boys in the US were named Reid, according to Social Security Administration data.
Where does the name Reid come from?
Reid comes from Old English and means "red-haired". Today it is used in English and Scottish.
How popular is the name Reid?
Reid ranked #293 in the US in 2025, with 1,150 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Reid?
Forms of Reid with the same meaning and origin include Reed (English).
What middle names go with Reid?
Middle names that flow well with Reid include Elton, Ethan, Eugene, Florian and Gerald. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.