Girl · #13,427 in 2026

Reata

A lasso or lazo, also called reata or la reata in Mexico, and in the United States riata or lariat, is a loop of rope designed as a restraint to be thrown around a target and tightened when pulled. It is a well-known tool of the Mexican and South American cowboys, which was then adopted from the Mexicans by the cowboys of the United States.

Current Rank
#13,427
Peak Rank
#8,135 (2013)
Total Babies
155
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1933
First Year
2024
Last Year
2013
Peak Year
#8135
Peak Rank
155
Total Count
18
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Reata

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

A lasso or lazo, also called reata or la reata in Mexico, and in the United States riata or lariat, is a loop of rope designed as a restraint to be thrown around a target and tightened when pulled. It is a well-known tool of the Mexican and South American cowboys, which was then adopted from the Mexicans by the cowboys of the United States.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
The word lasso seems to have begun to be used as an English word in the early nineteenth century. It may have originated from the Castilian word lazo , which is first attested in the thirteenth century in the sense 'noose, snare', and derives in turn from classical Latin laqueus ('noose, snare, trap, bond, tie'). In Spain a “reata” is a group of donkeys, mules, or horses tied together The rope or lasso used to restrain cattle is also called Reata or La Reata in Mexico, which was Anglicized to “Lariat” or “Riata” in the United States. In Mexico reata is basically used as a synonym for rope, a c
Origin & history
Main article: Trick roping Cacería del Toro Cimarron (Hunting Wild Bulls in Colonial Mexico, 1582) Cattle roping from horseback originated in Hispanic America between the late 16th and early 17th centuries, although the precise origin is unknown, and developed throughout the next 200 years. Before the development of roping, the original tool of the early cowherds (vaqueros) of the Americas was the desjarretadera , a lance with a crescent moon shaped blade at one of its ends used to incapacitate cattle by cutting their hocks or hamstrings. Known in English as a “hocking knife”, “desjarretadera”

The Story of Reata

Reata first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1933, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2013, when 14 Reatas were born — ranking #8,135 that year. As of 2026, Reata ranks #13,427 for baby girls with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 155 Reatas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1930s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
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MI
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VT
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MA
OR
ID
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OH
PA
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Top 10
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No data

Names that sound like Reata

Phonetically similar names — useful when Reata is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Reata

What does the name Reata mean?
A lasso or lazo, also called reata or la reata in Mexico, and in the United States riata or lariat, is a loop of rope designed as a restraint to be thrown around a target and tightened when pulled. It is a well-known tool of the Mexican and South American cowboys, which was then adopted from the Mexicans by the cowboys of the United States.
How popular is Reata in 2026?
In 2026, Reata ranks #13,427 among girls' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.
When was Reata most popular?
Reata reached its peak popularity in 2013, ranking #8,135 that year with 14 babies given the name.
Is Reata a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Reata is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Reata?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Reata include Adlyn, Nikky, Collyn. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Adlyn
Peak #8135
👧
Nikky
Peak #8135
👧
Collyn
Peak #8135
👧
Amberrose
Peak #8135
👧
Suria
Peak #8135
👧
Annalysia
Peak #8135
👧
Yarelin
Peak #8135
👧
Kaysia
Peak #8135

About the name Reata

Reata is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1933 and has accumulated 155 births in the dataset. Reata's peak popularity came in 2013 when it ranked #8,135. Use the chart and map above to compare Reata's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.