Rhys
Rhys or Rhŷs is a popular Welsh given name that is famous in Welsh history and is also used as a surname. It originates from Deheubarth, an old region of South West Wales, with famous kings such as Rhys ap Tewdwr.
- Welsh
- English
Meaning & Origin of Rhys
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Rhys or Rhŷs is a popular Welsh given name that is famous in Welsh history and is also used as a surname. It originates from Deheubarth, an old region of South West Wales, with famous kings such as Rhys ap Tewdwr.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Welsh
- English
Origin & history
The Story of Rhys
As a girl name
Rhys first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1994, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2022: 62 births, good for #2,754 nationwide. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 38% of all recorded Rhyss. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #3,068 among girl names with 53 births, rising sharply (+42% over the past five years). In total, more than 954 Rhyss have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Rhys on the record books as a boy name in 1929, with 8 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 994 Rhyss were born — ranking #347 that year. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 39% of all recorded Rhyss. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #347 among boy names with 994 births, rising sharply (+34% over the past five years). In total, more than 16K Rhyss have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Rhys
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Rhys. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Rhys
Phonetically similar names — useful when Rhys 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 Rhys
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About the name Rhys
Rhys is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1929 and has accumulated 16K births in the dataset. Rhys's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #347. Use the chart and map above to compare Rhys's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
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- 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.