Reid Boy

Popularity: #280 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: reed //riːd//

Origin: Scottish; English

Meaning: Scottish: red-haired; English: impetuous

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Reid has its roots in Old English and Old Norse, deriving from the word "hreid," which means "red" or "ruddy." This etymological background is linked to the color of hair or complexion, suggesting that it may have originally been a nickname for someone with red hair. The name entered the English language through the influence of Norse settlers in Britain during the Viking Age, around the 8th to 11th centuries, when Old Norse began to intermingle with Old English.

The transition into a surname occurred in the medieval period, where it became established as a family name in Scotland and northern England, particularly among the Scots, where it was often spelled as "Reid" or "Read." Historically, the name Reid has been borne by notable figures, including several Scottish nobles and clansmen. The Reid family is associated with the Scottish Highlands, where it has been linked to various clans and regions.

In the 16th century, the name became more prominent, with various branches of the Reid family playing significant roles in local governance and military affairs. The name also appears in historical texts and records, including the works of Scottish historians and genealogists, which document the lineage and contributions of families bearing the name.

Culturally, the name Reid has been associated with strength and resilience, reflecting the characteristics of its bearers throughout history. The name's connection to the color red may symbolize bravery and valor, traits often celebrated in Scottish folklore and tradition.

Additionally, diminutive forms such as "Reidy" have emerged in various contexts, although the primary form remains the most recognized. Overall, Reid embodies a rich historical tapestry that reflects the linguistic and cultural evolution of names in the British Isles.

Famous people named Reid

In this section, you will find notable people named Reid. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Reid who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Reid who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Reid Hoffman is an entrepreneur and venture capitalist best known for co-founding LinkedIn, authoring The Startup of You, and being a partner at Greylock Partners.

Reid Scott is an actor best known for his roles in Veep, My Boys, and The Big Wedding.

Reid Brignac is a former professional baseball player best known for playing as a pitcher for the Florida Marlins and Tampa Bay Rays.

Reid Perry is a musician best known as a member of the country music trio The Band Perry.

Fictional characters named Reid

The following list of fictional characters named Reid is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Reid is a fictional character from the TV series Criminal Minds. He is a highly intelligent FBI profiler with an eidetic memory and a deep understanding of criminal behavior.

Reid is a fictional character from the video game series Mass Effect. They are a skilled engineer and a member of the Normandy crew, known for their technical expertise and loyalty.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Reid, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

RileyRyanReaganRonanRyderRocco

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Reid. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

ReedRhettRyderRylanReeceRexRonanRafe

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Reid was first seen in the United States in 1886.

Reid has ranked as high as #490 nationally, which occurred in 2014, and has been most popular in Texas, California, Illinois, Ohio, and North Carolina.

In the past 5 years the name Reid has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Reid is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Reid was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Reid.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 1,184 1,150 34
2024 1,151 1,120 31
2023 1,098 1,060 38
2022 1,080 1,040 40
2021 1,142 1,109 33
2020 1,091 1,048 43
2019 1,208 1,180 28
2018 1,264 1,223 41
2017 1,288 1,246 42
2016 1,431 1,396 35
2015 1,373 1,339 34
2014 1,464 1,432 32
2013 1,410 1,373 37
2012 1,237 1,206 31
2011 1,142 1,123 19
2010 1,175 1,145 30
2009 927 903 24
2008 887 865 22
2007 700 679 21
2006 708 683 25
2005 647 627 20
2004 614 589 25
2003 570 550 20
2002 567 551 16
2001 565 537 28
2000 560 545 15
1999 535 513 22
1998 568 548 20
1997 510 486 24
1996 540 508 32
1995 643 614 29
1994 564 530 34
1993 463 439 24
1992 494 482 12
1991 367 367 0
1990 339 339 0
1989 313 308 5
1988 335 335 0
1987 335 330 5
1986 296 291 5
1985 304 298 6
1984 288 288 0
1983 290 290 0
1982 259 259 0
1981 244 244 0
1980 212 212 0
1979 185 185 0
1978 192 192 0
1977 136 136 0
1976 151 151 0
1975 165 165 0
1974 164 164 0
1973 124 124 0
1972 155 155 0
1971 158 158 0
1970 207 207 0
1969 164 159 5
1968 118 118 0
1967 135 135 0
1966 123 123 0
1965 119 119 0
1964 144 144 0
1963 152 152 0
1962 134 129 5
1961 144 144 0
1960 132 132 0
1959 157 157 0
1958 169 169 0
1957 189 189 0
1956 192 192 0
1955 189 189 0
1954 179 179 0
1953 192 192 0
1952 203 203 0
1951 159 159 0
1950 142 142 0
1949 151 151 0
1948 110 110 0
1947 120 120 0
1946 93 93 0
1945 68 68 0
1944 67 67 0
1943 78 78 0
1942 72 72 0
1941 63 63 0
1940 64 64 0
1939 46 46 0
1938 49 49 0
1937 50 50 0
1936 51 51 0
1935 51 51 0
1934 51 51 0
1933 43 43 0
1932 56 56 0
1931 50 50 0
1930 58 58 0
1929 49 49 0
1928 73 73 0
1927 70 70 0
1926 64 64 0
1925 78 78 0
1924 88 88 0
1923 79 79 0
1922 85 85 0
1921 65 65 0
1920 78 78 0
1919 71 71 0
1918 53 53 0
1917 54 54 0
1916 38 38 0
1915 43 43 0
1914 34 34 0
1913 26 26 0
1912 28 28 0
1911 9 9 0
1910 6 6 0
1909 9 9 0
1908 9 9 0
1907 9 9 0
1906 7 7 0
1905 5 5 0
1904 8 8 0
1903 8 8 0
1901 8 8 0
1900 8 8 0
1898 8 8 0
1897 8 8 0
1896 7 7 0
1895 11 11 0
1894 14 14 0
1892 9 9 0
1890 7 7 0
1888 5 5 0
1886 6 6 0

Top States for Reid (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 82
7%
CA 66
6%
OH 59
5%
FL 56
5%
MI 52
5%
NC 48
4%
PA 46
4%
IL 43
4%
MO 40
4%
VA 38
3%
NY 35
3%
IN 34
3%
WI 33
3%
WA 31
3%
GA 29
3%
MN 28
3%
KS 27
2%
LA 25
2%
MD 24
2%
TN 24
2%
SC 22
2%
KY 21
2%
MA 21
2%
NJ 19
2%
CO 19
2%
AL 17
2%
OK 16
1%
AR 15
1%
IA 15
1%
ME 14
1%
UT 14
1%
OR 13
1%
AZ 12
1%
CT 11
1%
ID 10
1%
WV 8
1%
NE 8
1%
NH 7
1%
MT 6
1%
DE 5
0%
MS 5
0%
SD 5
0%