Redith
An invented name derived from the word "red" and the suffix "-ith".
Name Census estimates that about 16 living Americans carry the first name Redith. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Redith today is around 80 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Redith births was 1918 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Redith. 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.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Redith is about 80 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Rediths were born before 1956.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Redith. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
16
~ 1 in 21,422,146 Americans
Peak year
1918
8 babies that year
Average age
80
years old
1951 SSA rank
#6,046
Tracked since 1918
Popularity
Redith: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Redith from the 1910s through to the 1950s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 29 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
Redith 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 Redith during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Redith
The name Redith has its origins in ancient Gaelic culture, dating back to the 5th century CE. It is derived from the Old Irish words "rìgh" meaning "king" and "dith" meaning "protector" or "guardian." This suggests that the name originally carried connotations of royalty and a sense of being a defender or caretaker.
In early medieval Ireland, the name Redith was particularly common among the noble classes and those serving in military or protective roles. It appears in several ancient Irish manuscripts and genealogical records, often associated with prominent families and clans.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Redith can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In this text, a nobleman named Redith mac Áedáin is mentioned as a participant in the Battle of Moira in 637 CE, fighting alongside the King of Dál Riata against the forces of the Cenél Conaill.
Another notable figure bearing the name Redith was a 9th-century Irish monk and scholar who lived in the monastery of Iona, off the west coast of Scotland. His work on preserving and copying ancient manuscripts was highly regarded, and he is credited with helping to preserve important pieces of Ireland's literary heritage.
In the 11th century, a Welsh prince named Redith ap Owain is recorded as leading a rebellion against the Norman invaders in an effort to defend his lands and people. Despite ultimately being defeated, his bravery and resistance earned him a place in Welsh folklore and legend.
During the medieval period, the name Redith also found its way into Scandinavian culture, likely through the connections and interactions between the Norse and Gaelic peoples. A Norwegian chieftain named Redith Ormsson is mentioned in the Icelandic sagas, renowned for his skill as a warrior and his leadership in battles against rival clans.
As time passed, the name Redith gradually fell out of common usage, but it continued to appear sporadically throughout history. In the 16th century, an English soldier named Redith Wycliffe is recorded as having fought in the Wars of the Roses, while in the 18th century, a French philosopher and writer named Redith Desmoulins played a role in the early stages of the French Revolution.
People
Redith + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Redith 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
Redith: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Redith?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 16 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Redith 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 21,422,146 US residents.
Is Redith a common name?
We classify Redith as "Very Rare". It ranks above 36.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 78 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Redith most popular?
The single biggest year for Redith was 1918, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Redith is about 80 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Redith in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Redith a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Redith 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.
Is Redith still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Redith in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Redith can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have the name Redith?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.