Rex
From Latin rēx (“king”). Doublet of rajah and roy.
Every Rex since 1880 — 60,590 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Rex
Rex is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #859 in 2025 with 281 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 60,590 American babies have been named Rex. Its peak came in 1952, when 1,505 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Rex stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Rex year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 281 | #859 |
| 2024 | — | — | 320 | #787 |
| 2023 | — | — | 368 | #722 |
| 2022 | — | — | 380 | #697 |
| 2021 | — | — | 380 | #698 |
| 2020 | — | — | 377 | #683 |
| 2019 | — | — | 410 | #651 |
| 2018 | — | — | 421 | #631 |
| 2017 | — | — | 434 | #607 |
| 2016 | — | — | 423 | #633 |
| 2015 | — | — | 374 | #680 |
| 2014 | — | — | 389 | #661 |
| 2013 | — | — | 391 | #630 |
| 2012 | — | — | 385 | #631 |
| 2011 | — | — | 386 | #618 |
| 2010 | — | — | 332 | #704 |
| 2009 | — | — | 303 | #756 |
| 2008 | — | — | 274 | #801 |
| 2007 | — | — | 236 | #875 |
| 2006 | — | — | 252 | #810 |
| 2005 | — | — | 237 | #808 |
| 2004 | — | — | 182 | #933 |
| 2003 | — | — | 182 | #916 |
| 2002 | — | — | 154 | #1,011 |
| 2001 | — | — | 116 | #1,184 |
| 2000 | — | — | 112 | #1,213 |
| 1995 | — | — | 157 | #869 |
| 1990 | — | — | 232 | #664 |
| 1985 | — | — | 261 | #545 |
| 1980 | 5 | #11,690 | 300 | #488 |
| 1975 | — | — | 296 | #469 |
| 1970 | — | — | 507 | #362 |
| 1965 | — | — | 787 | #264 |
| 1960 | 6 | #6,239 | 1,314 | #214 |
| 1955 | — | — | 1,400 | #191 |
| 1950 | — | — | 1,069 | #196 |
| 1945 | — | — | 486 | #269 |
| 1940 | 5 | #4,897 | 547 | #228 |
| 1935 | 6 | #4,122 | 647 | #198 |
| 1930 | — | — | 540 | #235 |
| 1925 | 9 | #3,610 | 553 | #238 |
| 1920 | — | — | 614 | #210 |
| 1915 | — | — | 401 | #243 |
| 1910 | — | — | 65 | #309 |
| 1905 | — | — | 46 | #298 |
| 1900 | — | — | 59 | #268 |
| 1895 | — | — | 34 | #314 |
| 1890 | — | — | 30 | #320 |
| 1885 | — | — | 17 | #456 |
| 1880 | — | — | 13 | #519 |
Famous people named Rex
- Rex Harrison Actor · 1908–1990
- Rex Stout Writer · 1886–1975
- Rex Tillerson Businessperson · b. 1952
- Rex Linn Actor · b. 1956
- Rex Ingram Film director · 1892–1950
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Rex mean?
From Latin rēx (“king”). Doublet of rajah and roy.
How popular is the name Rex in 2025?
Rex ranked #859 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 281 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Rex?
60,590 babies have been named Rex in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Rex most popular?
Rex peaked in 1952, when 1,505 newborns received the name.
Is Rex a boy or girl name?
Rex is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Rex rising or falling?
Rex has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Rex?
Well-known people named Rex include Rex Harrison (actor), Rex Stout (writer), Rex Tillerson (businessperson).