The first name Reed
A boy’s name meaning “to clear out”, “roe deer”.
Pronounced /ɹiːd/ 1 syllable Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Reed means “to clear out”, “roe deer”.
* As an English and Scottish surname, from the adjective red. * Also as an English surname, from Old English rēodan (“to clear out”), from Proto-West Germanic *reudan. * Also as an English surname, from several places in England, such as Reed, Lancashire (from Old English ra (“roe deer”) or Rede, Suffolk (see Rede). Compare Rider, Reader.
More names that mean deer.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 9 boys were named Reed, making it the 2,440th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2012, with 18 births (#1,367).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Reed with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Reed at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 770 boys born in the United States were named Reed, the 419th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2014, when 1,096 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Famous people named Reed
21 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Jerry ReedAmerican singer and actor (1937–2008)
- Reed DiamondAmerican actor, born 1967
- Reed HastingsAmerican entrepreneur and education philanthropist, born 1960
- Reed HadleyAmerican actor (1911–1974)
- Reed BirneyAmerican actor, born 1954
- Reed SheppardAmerican basketball player (born 2004)
- Reed MoranoAmerican cinematographer, born 1977
- Reed Baker-WhitingAmerican soccer player, born 2005
- Reed AlexanderAmerican actor, born 1993
- Reed MaloneAmerican swimmer, born 1995
- Walter ReedAmerican actor (1916-2001)
- Reed C. RollinsAmerican botanist (1911–1998)
Questions
- What does the name Reed mean?
- Reed means “to clear out”, “roe deer”.
- How popular is the name Reed?
- In 2025, 9 boys born in England and Wales were named Reed, ranking 2,440th. Its peak was 2012, with 18 births.
- Is Reed a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 98% of the 36,977 US babies named Reed since 1880 were boys.
- When was Reed most popular?
- 2014 in the United States, when 1,096 babies were named Reed, its highest rank at 318th.
- How do you pronounce Reed?
- Reed is /ɹiːd/, one syllable.
- Is Reed also a surname?
- Yes. Reed is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.