Reid
REED · 1 syllable
♂ Male ◎ Scottish / English ◈ 1 syllable
"Red-haired, ruddy"

From Scottish / English

Reid means red-haired — from the Old English rēad (red). Criminal Minds' Spencer Reid is TV's most beloved genius. Reid is one of the sharpest one-syllable surname names: four letters that sound like a decision being made. It carries Scottish red-haired heritage and FBI-profiler intelligence in the most minimal package possible.

← All boy names
Reid at a glance
MeaningRed-haired, ruddy
OriginScottish / English
GenderMale
Syllables1
NumerologyLife Path 9
US Rank (today)#296
Google AdSense — 728×90
♡
Why parents love Reid
  • Criminal Minds' Spencer Reid is TV's most beloved genius.
  • Four letters with the sharpest possible sound: REED.
  • The meaning red-haired is charmingly direct.
  • No nickname needed — Reid is already razor-sharp.
  • It's part of the one-syllable surname-name trend.
◎
The vibe of Reid
red-hairedReidCriminal Mindssharpgeniusone-syllableFBIrazor
◎
Origin & history of Reid
Old English rēad (red) → Scottish surname Reid → given name
1
Scottish / English roots
Reid comes from the Old English meaning red or red-haired. Criminal Minds' Dr. Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler) is one of TV's most beloved characters — a genius with an eidetic memory. The name is popular across Scotland. Reid has entered the US charts as a given name.
2
First recorded
Earliest known use: Medieval Scottish surname for someone with red hair.
3
Today
Reid remains a beloved choice, ranking #296 in the US. 40,596 babies have been named Reid since 1886.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, SSA data
◆
How popular is Reid?
2014 peak year
Reid first appeared in U.S. records in 1886. The name climbed in popularity through the 2010s, reaching its peak of #261 nationally in 2014 with 1,432 babies that year. Reid's usage has held roughly steady recently. Today, Reid is a moderately popular name in U.S. records (ranked #296) with about 1,212 babies named Reid each year. In all, around 40,596 babies have been registered as Reid since 1880.
Year-by-year registrations 1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
1,432 Babies named in peak year
(ranked #261)
1,212 Avg. per year
(last decade)
12,120 Total registrations
last 10 years
40,596 All-time total
(since 1880)
Popularity in the US today (rank #296) Very popular
→ Holding steady in recent years
📊 Check all names registered in the United States →
✦
Numerology of Reid
9
Life path number
The Humanitarian
Compassion, wisdom and humanitarianism.

Reid's Life Path 4 is the builder's number — building with precision. People named Reid tend to be sharp, intelligent, and gifted at cutting through complexity.

♡
Cuts through complexity
✦
Sharp intelligence
◈
Eidetic precision
◎
Red-haired fire
♡
Razor-sharp decisions
R9
E5
I9
D4
Sum: 27 → Life path 9
♡
Personality of Reid
🌍
Compassionate soul
They carry the weight of the world with grace.
🎨
Richly creative
Deep feeling translates into deep art.
🌟
Old soul wisdom
They've always seemed wiser than their years.
💝
Unconditional love
Their love is vast and forgiving.
◎
Names that sound like Reid

If you love Reid, you might love these names with a similar sound, rhythm or feel.

♩
Names that combine with Reid

Sibling pairings that share the timeless, classic energy of Reid.

♡
Middle names for Reid

The right middle name turns Reid into a complete story. Explore options for first-and-middle pairings, then last-name flow.

Want a personalised middle name for Reid? Try our dedicated generator with 1,000+ pairings.

♡ Generate middle name for Reid →
✦
Numerology life path calculator

Enter any full name and date of birth to discover the life path number — a core numerological indicator of personality, purpose and destiny.

First name
Middle name (optional)
Last name
Date of birth
7
Life path number

How we calculated this
Reid is a beautiful choice.
Save it to your list, share it with your partner, or keep exploring.
← Browse all boy names
Google AdSense — 728×90