Reed
How to say it: REED · /rid/
From an Old English surname meaning 'red-haired' or referring to the reed plant; a nature-adjacent word name.
Reed was the 205th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 770 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 2010s, its births are down about 19% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #216 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #205 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 770 |
| Share of births | 1 in 1,726 |
| Peak decade | 2010s |
| Change over 10 years | −19% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #216 |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Reed reached its high in the 2010s and has stayed near that level since. It remains well used past its peak, even as the next few years are likely to soften a little.
What goes with it
A single crisp syllable gives a spare nature name feel. Hayes shares the same style.
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Reed is about 1 in 72.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English.
Famous people named Reed
- Reed Hastings (born 1960)American entrepreneur and education philanthropist
- Reed Diamond (born 1967)American actor
- Reed Birney (born 1954)American actor
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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