Reynold
A masculine name derived from English origins signifying "brave counsellor".
Name Census estimates that about 2,227 living Americans carry the first name Reynold. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Reynold today is around 59 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Reynold births was 1922 (92 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Reynold. 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
2.2K
~ 1 in 153,909 Americans
Peak year
1922
92 babies that year
Average age
59
years old
2024 SSA rank
#11,994
Tracked since 1893
Popularity
Reynold: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Reynold from the 1890s through to the 2020s, spanning 14 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 748 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
Reynold 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 Reynold during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Reynolds live
The SSA's state-level files cover 19 states and territories. New York, Pennsylvania, Minnesota recorded the most babies named Reynold, while Utah, Texas, Nebraska recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 78 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Reynold
The name Reynold has its origins in the Germanic languages, deriving from the elements "rægin" meaning "counsel" and "waldan" meaning "to rule" or "to govern." It can be translated to mean "mighty ruler" or "wise counselor." The name first emerged during the Middle Ages and was popularized throughout various European regions.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Reynold can be found in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a historical record compiled in the late 9th century. The name was borne by several notable figures during this period, including Reynold de Bohun, a prominent Norman knight who fought alongside William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
In the 12th century, Reynold de Châtillon, a French nobleman and military leader, gained fame for his exploits during the Third Crusade. He served as the Prince of Antioch and was known for his bravery and skill on the battlefield.
The name Reynold also appeared in various literary works of the era, including the medieval romance "Reynard the Fox," which featured a character named Reynold the Fox. This work, originally written in Old French, became widely popular throughout Europe and contributed to the further dissemination of the name.
During the Renaissance period, the name Reynold was borne by notable figures such as Reynold Pole, an English cardinal and the last Catholic Archbishop of Canterbury before the English Reformation. He played a significant role in the religious and political turmoil of 16th century England.
In the 18th century, Reynold Alleyne, a British colonial administrator and landowner, made a name for himself as one of the largest plantation owners in Barbados. His legacy remains controversial due to his involvement in the slave trade and the exploitation of enslaved people.
Other notable individuals named Reynold include Reynold Arnould Avenel Nicholson, a British artist and illustrator known for his work in the early 20th century, and Reynold Philippeaux, a Haitian revolutionary and military leader who played a crucial role in the Haitian Revolution in the late 18th century.
People
Reynold + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Reynold 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
Reynold: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Reynold?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,227 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Reynold 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 153,909 US residents.
Is Reynold a common name?
We classify Reynold as "Rare". It ranks above 94.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 4,663 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Reynold most popular?
The single biggest year for Reynold was 1922, when 92 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Reynold is about 59 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Reynold a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Reynold in the SSA data are male. 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.