Reah
An Old Hebrew feminine name meaning "companion" or "friend".
Name Census estimates that about 168 living Americans carry the first name Reah. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Reah today is around 32 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Reah births was 1921 (16 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Reah. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
168
~ 1 in 2,040,204 Americans
Peak year
1921
16 babies that year
Average age
32
years old
2020 SSA rank
#13,155
Tracked since 1900
Popularity
Reah: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Reah from the 1900s through to the 2020s, spanning 11 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 81 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Reah by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Reah during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Reahs live
Origin
Meaning and history of Reah
The name Reah is believed to have its origins in the Hebrew language, with roots dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Hebrew word "re'ah," which means "friend" or "companion." The name carries a connotation of friendship, loyalty, and support.
In the Biblical context, the name Reah appears as a variant spelling of Reaiah, which was the name of one of the Israelite leaders who returned from the Babylonian exile, as mentioned in the Book of Ezra (Ezra 2:47). This reference suggests that the name was in use among the ancient Israelites during the post-exilic period, around the 5th century BCE.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Reah was Reah Moor, an English Puritan minister who lived in the 17th century (1608-1676). He served as a Presbyterian minister and was known for his religious writings and sermons.
In the 18th century, Reah Fenton (1719-1794) was a notable English writer and poet. She is remembered for her contribution to literature, particularly her poems and translations of classical works.
Moving to the 19th century, Reah Whitehead (1829-1911) was a British artist and painter. She gained recognition for her landscape paintings and her works are part of several notable art collections.
In the 20th century, Reah Binor (1915-1995) was an Israeli actress and theater director. She played a significant role in the development of Israeli theater and was a prominent figure in the country's cultural scene.
Another notable figure with the name Reah was Reah Sadowsky (1927-2018), an American artist and sculptor. Her works were exhibited in various galleries and museums, and she was known for her innovative use of materials and techniques.
While the name Reah has its roots in ancient Hebrew, it has been adopted and used across different cultures and time periods. Its meaning and symbolism have resonated with individuals throughout history, making it a unique and meaningful name with a rich heritage.
People
Reah + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Reah as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Reah: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Reah?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 168 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Reah going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 2,040,204 US residents.
Is Reah a common name?
We classify Reah as "Very Rare". It ranks above 71.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 363 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Reah most popular?
The single biggest year for Reah was 1921, when 16 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Reah is about 32 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Reah a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Reah in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.