Reid first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Reid has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Reid

A masculine name of Scottish origin meaning "red".

Popularity of Reid by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Reid is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 97% of people named Reid being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 1,058 male babies and 38 female babies born with the name Reid.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 38 baby girls were named Reid in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 1,058 38
2022 1,034 40
2021 1,107 33
2020 1,046 43
2019 1,180 28
2018 1,222 41
2017 1,246 42
2016 1,396 35
2015 1,339 34
2014 1,432 32
2013 1,372 37
2012 1,206 31
2011 1,122 19
2010 1,145 30
2009 903 24
2008 865 22
2007 679 21
2006 683 25
2005 627 20
2004 589 25
2003 550 20
2002 551 16
2001 537 28
2000 545 15
1999 513 22
1998 548 20
1997 486 24
1996 508 32
1995 614 29
1994 530 34
1993 439 24
1992 483 12
1991 367 0
1990 339 0
1989 308 5
1988 335 0
1987 329 5
1986 291 5
1985 298 6
1984 288 0
1983 290 0
1982 259 0
1981 243 0
1980 212 0
1979 185 0
1978 192 0
1977 136 0
1976 151 0
1975 165 0
1974 164 0

The history of the first name Reid

The name Reid has its origins in the Scottish Gaelic language, deriving from the word "rìgh" which means "king" or "sovereign." It is believed to have emerged as a given name during the medieval period, particularly in Scotland and Northern England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Reid is found in the Ragman Rolls, a series of historical documents from the late 13th and early 14th centuries. These rolls contain the names of Scottish nobles and landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during the Wars of Scottish Independence.

In the 16th century, the name Reid gained prominence through the influential Reid family, who were prominent lairds (landowners) in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. One notable figure from this family was Robert Reid, born in 1510, who served as the Bishop of Orkney and played a significant role in the Scottish Reformation.

Another famous bearer of the name was Thomas Reid, a renowned Scottish philosopher born in 1710. He is considered one of the founders of the Scottish School of Common Sense and made significant contributions to the field of epistemology (theory of knowledge).

Moving forward in history, Whitelaw Reid, born in 1837, was an American diplomat and journalist who served as the ambassador to France and later became the editor of the New York Tribune newspaper.

In the realm of sports, Richie Reid, born in 1904, was a Scottish footballer who played as a forward for Rangers and the Scottish national team in the 1920s and 1930s, earning recognition as one of Scotland's greatest players.

More recently, Richard Reid, known as the "Shoe Bomber," gained notoriety in 2001 for his failed attempt to detonate explosives concealed in his shoes on a transatlantic flight from Paris to Miami.

While the name Reid has its roots in Scottish heritage, it has since been adopted and used across various cultures and regions, particularly in English-speaking countries. Its association with royalty and nobility in its early history has contributed to its enduring appeal as a given name.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Reid was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Reid, please contact us.

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Reid first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 31, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/reid-meaning-and-history/.

"Reid first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/reid-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 31 October, 2024

Reid first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/reid-meaning-and-history/.

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