Reed
Meaning of Reed
Reed is an Old English surname-turned-given name that comes from the word “rēad,” meaning red-haired, and from “hrēod,” the flexible marsh plant once used for thatching; both origins underscore a natural, earthy imagery that still feels modern. Compact in form yet crisp in sound—REED (/riːd/)—the name travels easily across languages and, in the Latin sense of nomen breve, sonus clarus, delivers maximum clarity with minimal syllables. In the United States it has enjoyed quiet, steady visibility for more than a century, hovering in the Top 500 since records began and currently holding No. 384, a testament to its consistent appeal rather than flash-in-the-pan fame. Cultural associations range from the musical reed that gives voice to woodwinds, to Marvel’s brilliant Reed Richards, to entrepreneur Reed Hastings of Netflix, linking the name to creativity, intellect, and innovation.
Pronunciation
English
- Pronunced as REED (/riːd/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Reed
| Reed Hastings is an American billionaire, co founder and chairman of Netflix, nonprofit board member, former California State Board of Education president, and a leading advocate for charter schools. |
| Reed Smoot was a Utah Republican senator and Latter-day Saint apostle who served from 1903 to 1933 and co-sponsored the 1930 Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, later blamed for worsening the Great Depression. |
| Reed Timmer is an American meteorologist and storm chaser who fell in love with weather early, gave high school forecasts, and earned a meteorology PhD from the University of Oklahoma in 2015. |
| Reed Eric Hundt serves as chairman, CEO, and cofounder of the Coalition for Green Capital. |
