Rene Unisex
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: ruh-NAY /ʁəˈne/
Origin: French; Latin
Meaning: French: reborn; Latin: born again
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Rene originates from the Latin name "Renatus," which means "reborn" or "born again." This Latin term is derived from the verb "renascere," meaning to be born again or to be reborn. The transition from Latin to Old French saw the name evolve into "René," which was commonly used in medieval France.
The name entered the English language through the influence of French culture and language, particularly during the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, when many Norman names were adopted into English society. Historically, the name Rene has been borne by several notable figures, particularly in France.
One of the most significant was René of Anjou, a 15th-century king and patron of the arts, who was known for his contributions to literature and culture. His prominence helped to solidify the name's association with nobility and artistic endeavors.
Additionally, the name appears in various religious contexts, as it is linked to the concept of spiritual rebirth, which is a central theme in Christianity. The name has also been embraced by saints, such as Saint René Goupil, a Jesuit martyr from the 17th century, further enhancing its religious significance.
Culturally, the name Rene has resonated through various artistic and literary works, often symbolizing renewal and transformation. Its associations with rebirth have made it a popular choice in contexts that emphasize new beginnings or spiritual journeys.
The diminutive form "René" is often used in French-speaking cultures, maintaining the name's historical roots while adapting to contemporary usage. Overall, the name Rene carries a rich legacy that intertwines linguistic evolution, historical significance, and cultural symbolism.
Famous people named Rene
In this section, you will find notable people named Rene. 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 Rene who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Rene 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.
Rene Descartes is a philosopher and mathematician best known for Meditations on First Philosophy, Discourse on the Method, and Cartesian coordinate system.
Rene Magritte is a surrealist artist best known for The Treachery of Images, The Son of Man, and The Lovers.
Rene Auberjonois is an actor best known for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Benson, and The Little Mermaid.
Rene Russo is an actress and producer best known for Lethal Weapon 3, The Thomas Crown Affair, and Nightcrawler.
Rene Rancourt is a singer best known for performing the national anthem at Boston Bruins games.
Rene Angelil was a music producer best known for managing Celine Dion and producing her albums.
Fictional characters named Rene
The following list of fictional characters named Rene 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.
Rene is a fictional character from the video game series Assassin's Creed. He is a member of the Assassin Brotherhood who plays a significant role in the narrative.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Rene, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Rene. 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.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Rene was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Rene has ranked as high as #391 nationally, which occurred in 1962, and has been most popular in Texas, California, New York, Illinois, and Arizona.
In the past 5 years the name Rene has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Rene 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 Rene 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 Rene.
| Year | Total Births | Boy | Girl |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 210 | 197 | 13 |
| 2024 | 245 | 227 | 18 |
| 2023 | 221 | 201 | 20 |
| 2022 | 250 | 235 | 15 |
| 2021 | 246 | 231 | 15 |
| 2020 | 237 | 217 | 20 |
| 2019 | 243 | 230 | 13 |
| 2018 | 244 | 226 | 18 |
| 2017 | 276 | 260 | 16 |
| 2016 | 266 | 246 | 20 |
| 2015 | 296 | 277 | 19 |
| 2014 | 308 | 287 | 21 |
| 2013 | 314 | 291 | 23 |
| 2012 | 329 | 315 | 14 |
| 2011 | 392 | 363 | 29 |
| 2010 | 405 | 388 | 17 |
| 2009 | 431 | 410 | 21 |
| 2008 | 499 | 464 | 35 |
| 2007 | 536 | 507 | 29 |
| 2006 | 555 | 524 | 31 |
| 2005 | 572 | 524 | 48 |
| 2004 | 615 | 573 | 42 |
| 2003 | 607 | 563 | 44 |
| 2002 | 644 | 586 | 58 |
| 2001 | 656 | 591 | 65 |
| 2000 | 751 | 662 | 89 |
| 1999 | 688 | 610 | 78 |
| 1998 | 696 | 613 | 83 |
| 1997 | 743 | 640 | 103 |
| 1996 | 742 | 650 | 92 |
| 1995 | 796 | 699 | 97 |
| 1994 | 863 | 744 | 119 |
| 1993 | 848 | 738 | 110 |
| 1992 | 908 | 774 | 134 |
| 1991 | 965 | 834 | 131 |
| 1990 | 984 | 838 | 146 |
| 1989 | 904 | 739 | 165 |
| 1988 | 921 | 755 | 166 |
| 1987 | 890 | 707 | 183 |
| 1986 | 958 | 757 | 201 |
| 1985 | 924 | 732 | 192 |
| 1984 | 976 | 767 | 209 |
| 1983 | 1,032 | 811 | 221 |
| 1982 | 928 | 652 | 276 |
| 1981 | 944 | 662 | 282 |
| 1980 | 939 | 675 | 264 |
| 1979 | 976 | 721 | 255 |
| 1978 | 966 | 680 | 286 |
| 1977 | 980 | 688 | 292 |
| 1976 | 963 | 688 | 275 |
| 1975 | 1,013 | 688 | 325 |
| 1974 | 1,069 | 725 | 344 |
| 1973 | 1,093 | 687 | 406 |
| 1972 | 1,221 | 765 | 456 |
| 1971 | 1,262 | 755 | 507 |
| 1970 | 1,416 | 869 | 547 |
| 1969 | 1,485 | 815 | 670 |
| 1968 | 1,381 | 711 | 670 |
| 1967 | 1,373 | 764 | 609 |
| 1966 | 1,261 | 675 | 586 |
| 1965 | 1,381 | 746 | 635 |
| 1964 | 1,432 | 778 | 654 |
| 1963 | 1,532 | 715 | 817 |
| 1962 | 1,649 | 733 | 916 |
| 1961 | 1,561 | 704 | 857 |
| 1960 | 1,620 | 710 | 910 |
| 1959 | 1,477 | 658 | 819 |
| 1958 | 1,175 | 554 | 621 |
| 1957 | 1,187 | 553 | 634 |
| 1956 | 1,152 | 539 | 613 |
| 1955 | 993 | 528 | 465 |
| 1954 | 904 | 499 | 405 |
| 1953 | 793 | 426 | 367 |
| 1952 | 755 | 429 | 326 |
| 1951 | 632 | 371 | 261 |
| 1950 | 611 | 389 | 222 |
| 1949 | 526 | 349 | 177 |
| 1948 | 531 | 369 | 162 |
| 1947 | 518 | 356 | 162 |
| 1946 | 425 | 327 | 98 |
| 1945 | 316 | 248 | 68 |
| 1944 | 280 | 206 | 74 |
| 1943 | 291 | 238 | 53 |
| 1942 | 272 | 218 | 54 |
| 1941 | 239 | 192 | 47 |
| 1940 | 191 | 168 | 23 |
| 1939 | 246 | 205 | 41 |
| 1938 | 235 | 190 | 45 |
| 1937 | 211 | 177 | 34 |
| 1936 | 203 | 168 | 35 |
| 1935 | 199 | 166 | 33 |
| 1934 | 188 | 155 | 33 |
| 1933 | 202 | 157 | 45 |
| 1932 | 216 | 181 | 35 |
| 1931 | 206 | 161 | 45 |
| 1930 | 222 | 182 | 40 |
| 1929 | 240 | 198 | 42 |
| 1928 | 250 | 206 | 44 |
| 1927 | 241 | 212 | 29 |
| 1926 | 240 | 198 | 42 |
| 1925 | 213 | 178 | 35 |
| 1924 | 223 | 185 | 38 |
| 1923 | 226 | 192 | 34 |
| 1922 | 226 | 182 | 44 |
| 1921 | 204 | 162 | 42 |
| 1920 | 176 | 141 | 35 |
| 1919 | 139 | 118 | 21 |
| 1918 | 164 | 123 | 41 |
| 1917 | 170 | 135 | 35 |
| 1916 | 145 | 117 | 28 |
| 1915 | 127 | 105 | 22 |
| 1914 | 104 | 89 | 15 |
| 1913 | 58 | 36 | 22 |
| 1912 | 69 | 49 | 20 |
| 1911 | 53 | 39 | 14 |
| 1910 | 42 | 29 | 13 |
| 1909 | 23 | 15 | 8 |
| 1908 | 29 | 20 | 9 |
| 1907 | 31 | 19 | 12 |
| 1906 | 32 | 21 | 11 |
| 1905 | 16 | 7 | 9 |
| 1904 | 23 | 17 | 6 |
| 1903 | 20 | 15 | 5 |
| 1902 | 20 | 11 | 9 |
| 1901 | 21 | 9 | 12 |
| 1900 | 21 | 10 | 11 |
| 1899 | 17 | 10 | 7 |
| 1898 | 14 | 6 | 8 |
| 1897 | 16 | 16 | 0 |
| 1896 | 19 | 11 | 8 |
| 1895 | 17 | 6 | 11 |
| 1894 | 14 | 7 | 7 |
| 1893 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
| 1892 | 13 | 7 | 6 |
| 1891 | 12 | 6 | 6 |
| 1890 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1889 | 16 | 9 | 7 |
| 1888 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 1886 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 1885 | 10 | 5 | 5 |
| 1884 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1883 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 1882 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1881 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1880 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
Top States for Rene (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 | 63 | |
| CA | 52 | |
| AZ | 18 | |
| FL | 14 | |
| NY | 11 | |
| IL | 8 | |
| OK | 5 |