Rhys
Borrowed from Welsh Rhys. Doublet of Price, Reece, Rees, Reese, and Rice.
Every Rhys since 1929 — 15,221 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Rhys
Rhys is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #412 in 2025 with 778 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1929, 15,221 American babies have been named Rhys — about 94% boys and 6% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2024, when 995 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
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 Rhys stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Rhys 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 | 38 | #3,892 | 778 | #412 |
| 2024 | 43 | #3,633 | 952 | #353 |
| 2023 | 61 | #2,816 | 931 | #353 |
| 2022 | 62 | #2,780 | 733 | #426 |
| 2021 | 55 | #3,029 | 750 | #413 |
| 2020 | 38 | #3,828 | 713 | #419 |
| 2019 | 37 | #3,986 | 692 | #440 |
| 2018 | 31 | #4,539 | 627 | #463 |
| 2017 | 30 | #4,674 | 619 | #477 |
| 2016 | 22 | #5,946 | 612 | #495 |
| 2015 | 22 | #5,989 | 560 | #514 |
| 2014 | 30 | #4,748 | 580 | #485 |
| 2013 | 26 | #5,285 | 560 | #490 |
| 2012 | 39 | #3,978 | 576 | #475 |
| 2011 | 39 | #3,899 | 539 | #487 |
| 2010 | 42 | #3,736 | 550 | #471 |
| 2009 | 23 | #6,053 | 456 | #578 |
| 2008 | 33 | #4,623 | 359 | #676 |
| 2007 | 41 | #3,903 | 263 | #811 |
| 2006 | 20 | #6,549 | 205 | #925 |
| 2005 | 20 | #6,190 | 177 | #984 |
| 2004 | 23 | #5,512 | 180 | #941 |
| 2003 | 14 | #7,911 | 152 | #1,038 |
| 2002 | 19 | #6,075 | 144 | #1,059 |
| 2001 | 20 | #5,765 | 145 | #1,022 |
| 2000 | 15 | #7,077 | 134 | #1,068 |
| 1995 | — | — | 62 | #1,545 |
| 1990 | — | — | 51 | #1,629 |
| 1985 | — | — | 41 | #1,587 |
| 1980 | — | — | 27 | #2,042 |
| 1975 | — | — | 10 | #3,613 |
| 1970 | — | — | 10 | #3,240 |
| 1965 | — | — | 8 | #3,192 |
| 1960 | — | — | 14 | #2,294 |
| 1955 | — | — | 15 | #2,117 |
| 1950 | — | — | 7 | #3,262 |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Rhys
- Rhys Ifans Actor · b. 1967
- Rhys ap Gruffydd Politician · 1132–1197
- Rhys Chatham Composer · b. 1952
- Rhys Darby Actor · b. 1974
- Rhys Wakefield Actor · b. 1988
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Rhys mean?
Borrowed from Welsh Rhys. Doublet of Price, Reece, Rees, Reese, and Rice.
How popular is the name Rhys in 2025?
Rhys ranked #412 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 778 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Rhys?
15,221 babies have been named Rhys in the United States since 1929, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Rhys most popular?
Rhys peaked in 2024, when 995 newborns received the name.
Is Rhys a boy or girl name?
Rhys is used for both: about 6% of babies named Rhys have been girls and 94% boys.
Is the name Rhys rising or falling?
Rhys is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Rhys?
Well-known people named Rhys include Rhys Ifans (actor), Rhys ap Gruffydd (politician), Rhys Chatham (composer).