Reed

Meaning of Reed

Reed comes from the Old English word "read," which simply means a reed plant. Reeds are tall grasses that grow near water.

Reed has English roots — browse every English baby name in our catalog.

Popularity of Reed

Reed has held fairly steady, sitting around #419 in 2025 after peaking at #318 in 2014.

Notable people named Reed

• Reed Hastings
  Co-founder and CEO of Netflix
• Reed Sorenson
  Professional NASCAR driver
• Reed Diamond
  American actor
• Reed Mullin
  Drummer for Corrosion of Conformity
• Reed Arvin
  American author

More English names

Questions about the name Reed

What does the name Reed mean?

Reed means reed comes from the old english word "read," which simply means a reed plant. reeds are tall grasses that grow near water, and it comes from English origins.

Is Reed a boy's or a girl's name?

Reed is most commonly used as a boy's name in the United States.

How popular is the name Reed?

In 2025, Reed ranked #419 for boys, up from #421 the year before.

When was Reed most popular?

Reed peaked at #318 in 2014.