Reiss
Reiss is a surname of Old German origin, and was most commonly used by Ashkenazic Jewish people as a metonymic occupational name for a dealer in rice, or as an ornamental name from the Old High German word Reis ‘twig,’ ‘branch.’
Meaning & Origin of Reiss
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Reiss is a surname of Old German origin, and was most commonly used by Ashkenazic Jewish people as a metonymic occupational name for a dealer in rice, or as an ornamental name from the Old High German word Reis ‘twig,’ ‘branch.’
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Reiss
As a girl name
Reiss first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 2004, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2011, when 9 Reisss were born — ranking #11,180 that year. As of 2026, Reiss ranks #15,532 for girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 64 Reisss have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Reiss first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1990, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1999, when 14 Reisss were born — ranking #4,762 that year. As of 2026, Reiss ranks #12,301 for boys with 5 births, holding steady (-5%). In total, more than 199 Reisss have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Reiss
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Abraham Joseph Reiss , the first ordained rabbi of the United States
- Albert Reiss , German operatic tenor
- Albert J. Reiss , American sociologist and criminologist
- Al Reiss ,
- Andris Reiss ,
- Andy Reiss ,
- Anton Josef Reiss (1835–1900), German sculptor
- Anya Reiss , British playwright and screenwriter
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Reiss
Phonetically similar names — useful when Reiss 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 Reiss
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About the name Reiss
Reiss is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1990 and has accumulated 199 births in the dataset. Reiss's peak popularity came in 1999 when it ranked #4,762. Use the chart and map above to compare Reiss's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1999 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "R" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.