Rhys

“Ardor, fiery warrior” — Old Welsh origin

Boy's name · #412 in the US (2025) · 2020s

Rhys is near its high-water mark: it reached #353 in 2023 and still ranked #412 in 2025. About 14,000 boys have carried it since 1929. Together with its spelling variants Reece (#460) and Reese (#603), Rhys would rank around #189 with about 1,900 births last year — the newborns split about 40/35/25 across Rhys, Reece, and Reese.

Around the world: about 1 in 880 boys in Ireland (2025) · about 1 in 920 boys in N. Ireland (2025) · about 1 in 1,100 boys in New Zealand (2025).

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 42 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Famous Rhyses

Rhys Ifans — Welsh actor
Rhys McClenaghan — Irish artistic gymnast (1999-)
Rhys ap Gruffydd — ruler of the kingdom of Deheubarth
Rhys Wakefield — Australian actor
Rhys Williams — English association football player

In stories & tradition

Rhys Williams — Torchwood
Rhys Ashworth — Hollyoaks
Rhys Lawson — Neighbours

What Rhyses become

Among 331 notable people named Rhys:

Sports figures appear 2.28× more often than among typical names — e.g. Rhys McClenaghan, Irish artistic gymnast (1999-).

Similar names: Reece · Lawson · Rio · Callen · Hayes · Reese

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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