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Reed as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Reed

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The baby name Reed is a Unisex name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced /riːd/ (reed).

Reed is English in Origin.

Gender: Unisex
Syllables: 1.0
Origin: English
Pronunciation: /riːd/ (reed)

What is the meaning of the name Reed ?

The baby name Reed is a Unisex name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced /riːd/ (reed).

Reed is English in Origin.

Reed is an English surname-turned-given name with dual etymologies: from Old English hrēod “reed” (the marsh plant), applied to someone living near reedy wetlands or working with thatch; and from Old English rēad/Scots Gaelic ruadh “red,” a nickname for a person with red hair or a ruddy complexion. As a given name, it can signify the slender, pliant reed - evoking flexibility and music - or the trait “red-haired/ruddy.”

Used sporadically as a forename in Britain in the 18th–19th centuries and gaining steady American use from the late 1800s, Reed follows the familiar pattern of transferred surnames. Popularity rose modestly in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, with unisex but predominantly male use. Variants and cognates include Reid (Scottish), Read/Read(e), and Reade; the Scots Gaelic ruadh “red” underlies Reid. Compact and modern, Reed also works smoothly as a middle name.

Reed has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Reed

Reed Diamond Actor · Born 1967 · United States Reed Diamond is an American actor best known for playing detective and law enforcement roles. He’s known for playing Detective Mike Kellerman on Homicide: Life on the Street and recurring roles on series like Dollhouse and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Reed Hadley Actor · Born 1911 · United States Reed Hadley was an American actor best known for his roles in the television series 'Racket Squad' and 'The Public Defender'. Born in 1911, he often portrayed authoritative characters, bringing a commanding presence to both the big and small screens.

Celebrity babies named Reed

Name Last Name(s) Mother Mother famous for Fame Level Father Father famous for Fame Level
Reed Paul Steve Jobs film producer
Reed Howard Ron Howard film director

Reed – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Boys 2017 #1 743
JP 0 #77 1 4,057
TW 0 #103 1 4,523
PH 0 #110 1 5,607
OM 0 #121 1 6,215
BN Boys 0 #139 1 6,332
BW Boys 0 #153 2 4,685
AE 0 #187 1 10,220
MO Boys 0 #234 1 5,842
BD 0 #240 2 5,992
AO Boys 0 #249 1 5,568
NA Boys 0 #253 1 6,830
TW Boys 0 #255 2 7,111
EC Girls 0 #258 1 3,650
Canada Girls 2023 #275 5 2,824
Canada Boys 2024 #276 31 2,588
JM Boys 0 #293 1 6,876
KZ Boys 0 #295 2 6,578
JP Boys 0 #303 1 7,909
CN Boys 0 #308 12 9,639
SA 0 #312 1 10,560
JO Girls 0 #334 6 7,570
PL Boys 0 #340 1 6,459
HK 0 #356 2 8,483
GH Boys 0 #361 1 8,138
MU Girls 0 #362 1 8,539
JO Boys 0 #368 10 7,057
United States Boys 2024 #374 744 7,044
PT Boys 0 #381 1 7,951
YE 0 #391 8 8,639
PH Boys 0 #404 5 11,440
BO 0 #408 1 6,868
UY Boys 0 #413 1 5,922
OM Girls 0 #423 2 15,987
PH Girls 0 #428 2 13,098
CL 0 #434 1 6,867
SD Boys 0 #465 2 10,523
ZA 0 #470 5 14,421
CR Boys 0 #472 16 10,188
IQ Girls 0 #474 31 11,303
AR Boys 0 #483 1 7,628
GT Boys 0 #499 1 7,625
PA Boys 0 #504 2 9,305
HK Boys 0 #518 10 12,905
RU Boys 0 #522 5 12,621
RU Girls 0 #522 2 11,913
AE Girls 0 #544 10 20,968
PS Girls 0 #547 1 10,981
LY 0 #553 7 12,703
KW Girls 0 #557 5 19,177
PS Boys 0 #560 2 10,655
IR Boys 0 #563 3 10,162
BH 0 #585 3 17,937
BD Boys 0 #601 5 10,045
BO Boys 0 #619 4 9,244
IL Boys 0 #622 4 10,983
AR Girls 0 #630 1 8,289
IQ Boys 0 #630 38 13,071
SG Girls 0 #631 2 18,916
IL Girls 0 #644 2 11,648
HK Girls 0 #648 3 16,104
IN Girls 0 #653 2 13,121
CL Boys 0 #655 11 13,390
LB 0 #688 3 13,263
SY 0 #704 25 11,684
SG Boys 0 #732 8 17,960
QA Boys 0 #737 7 18,093
KW Boys 0 #802 5 18,755
NG Girls 0 #823 4 15,093
TN 0 #860 6 13,765
PE Boys 0 #865 14 14,506
EG Boys 0 #874 13 15,035
United States Girls 2024 #895 22 8,487
CL Girls 0 #912 4 14,098
OM Boys 0 #914 5 17,948
SA Girls 0 #915 21 25,931
Spain Boys 0 #921 10 5,610
MX Boys 0 #972 11 16,355
CO Boys 0 #975 7 15,656
NG Boys 0 #993 9 16,906
EG Girls 0 #1,001 9 14,742
PE Girls 0 #1,010 1 14,861
IN Boys 0 #1,039 1 16,750
MY Girls 0 #1,072 1 24,821
MA 0 #1,074 55 20,986
MY Boys 0 #1,087 25 25,439
AE Boys 0 #1,136 8 22,615
CO Girls 0 #1,149 4 16,140
ZA Boys 0 #1,149 30 25,619
DZ 0 #1,159 18 20,130
TR 0 #1,202 10 19,440
ZA Girls 0 #1,235 2 25,928
IT Boys 0 #1,454 18 10,046
SA Boys 0 #1,577 38 28,008

Reed is popular in 59 countries — most recent births per country:

Canada
United States
New York City (White, non-Hispanic), United States
Scotland, United Kingdom
Ireland

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People also ask about Reed

Reed is a unisex name, given to both boys and girls.
Reed is a one syllable name, pronounced /riːd/ (reed).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Reid, Reade, Read and Redd.
Across languages, Reed has these equivalents: Rufus (Latin, 'red-haired'), Ruadh / Ruadhán (Irish/Scottish Gaelic, 'red'), Rory (Gaelic, 'red king'), Roan (English/Irish, 'reddish').
Yes, very popular — Reed ranked #1 in Ireland in 2017, and appears in official birth registries across 4 countries.
Reed ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2017).
Yes — 2 notable people named Reed are in our database, including Reed Diamond (Actor), Reed Hadley (Actor).
Yes — at least 2 celebrity couples have chosen Reed for their child, including Steve Jobs.