The first name Rex
A boy’s name from Latin meaning “king”.
Pronounced /ɹɛks/ 1 syllable Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Latin origin
Rex means “king” in Latin.
From Latin rēx (“king”). Doublet of rajah and roy.
More names that mean king.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 217 boys were named Rex, making it the 228th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2021, with 396 births (#142).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Rex with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Rex at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 281 boys born in the United States were named Rex, the 859th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1951, when 1,503 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 Rex
35 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Rex Tillerson69th United States Secretary of State, born 1952
- Rex StoutAmerican writer (1886-1975)
- Rex LinnAmerican actor, born 1956
- Rex J. WalheimAmerican astronaut, born 1962
- Rex BrownAmerican bassist, born 1964
- Rex CawleyAmerican hurdler (1940–2022)
- Rex AllenAmerican film actor, singer and songwriter (1920–1999)
- Rex HartwigAustralian tennis player (1929–2022)
- Rex BeachAuthor and water polo player (1877-1949)
- Rex IngramAmerican actor (1895/1903–1969)
- Rex BellAmerican actor and politician (1903-1962)
- Rex LeeAmerican actor, born 1969
More Latin boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Rex mean?
- Rex means “king” in Latin.
- What is the origin of the name Rex?
- From Latin rēx (“king”). Doublet of rajah and roy.
- How popular is the name Rex?
- In 2025, 217 boys born in England and Wales were named Rex, ranking 228th. Its peak was 2021, with 396 births.
- Is Rex a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 60,590 US babies named Rex since 1880 were boys.
- When was Rex most popular?
- 1951 in the United States, when 1,503 babies were named Rex, its highest rank at 170th.
- How do you pronounce Rex?
- Rex is /ɹɛks/, one syllable.
- Is Rex also a surname?
- Yes. Rex is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.