Given name & surname
Rhys
“ardour”·“having great enthusiasm for life”
Rhys is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “ardour” and “having great enthusiasm for life” (Welsh). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “ardour” and “having great enthusiasm for life” (Welsh). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Welsh.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1929. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Rhys through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 15,221
- 14,334 boys · 887 girls
- Most popular year
- 2024
- 995 babies
- 2025
- 816
- #412 for boys · #3,892 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +29%
- Rising
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 95% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 778 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 412 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 27.0% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 38 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, Pennsylvania had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (92). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 10,334 as a first name in 2020; 220 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Rhys’s family of names
In Welsh usage, Rhys shares a linguistic root with the Pictish form ᚏᚓᚄᚐᚇ. In English usage, Rhys has a related form in Reese. Rhys has a related form in Reece.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Rhys has relatives in 3 languages. Lines run from its Welsh roots to each of them.
9 related names in 3 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 13
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Reesevariant · English
- Rhettvariant · English
- Reecevariant · English
- Riesevariant
- Riecevariant
- Reasevariant
- Reacevariant
- Reisevariant
Show 5 moreShow fewer
Across languages 4
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Rhys
- Rhys IfansWelsh actorborn 1967
- Rhys McClenaghanIrish artistic gymnast (1999-)
- Rhys WakefieldAustralian actorborn 1988
- Rhys ap Gruffuddruler of Deheubarth1132–1197
- Rhys WilliamsEnglish footballerborn 2001
- Rhys DarbyNew Zealand actor, comedian and voice actorborn 1974
- Rhys WilliamsBritish hurdling athleteborn 1984
- Rhys Norrington-DaviesWelsh association football playerborn 1999
- Rhys ChathamAmerican composerborn 1952
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Rhys, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Graham
“from the gravelled area; from the gray home”
>99% boys
Logan
“from the hollow” · “from the little hollow”
91% boys · 9% girls
Grant
“large” · “a tall man; a great man”
>99% boys
Cameron
“crooked nose”
90% boys · 10% girls
Dillon
“resembling a lion; a faithful man”
89% boys · 11% girls
Fraser
“of the forest men”
>99% boys
Kieran
“having dark features; the little dark one”
97% boys · 3% girls
Finn
“white, fair” · “one who is cool”
99% boys · 1% girls