Reef

Reef - A very unique male name

Reef appeared on the charts for the first time in 2001 on position #3310. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Reef and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Reef? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Reef. The baby boy name Reef was given to 39 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1892 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 37,597 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Reef peaked in popularity 15 years ago in 2011 on position 1643.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Reef, 1-5?

Reef is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Reef is currently topping the baby name charts in Hawaii at position #145 - and is the least popular in California at position #1,561.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Reef is where you live.

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Reef origin and meaning

English — word name

'Reef' — a ridge of rock or coral near the sea's surface; also a sail-folding term from Old Norse rif

Reef is a direct nature word name, recorded for boys from 2001 as part of the ocean-name fashion alongside River, Ocean and Cove. It peaked in 2021 at just 55 births and remains very rare. The word itself is old; its use as a given name is entirely modern.

Attested etymology

Reef is a 4 letter name with 1 syllables.

To see famous people named Reef, pop culture references for the name Reef and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Reef

We've found the following names that sound similar to Reef, sorted by popularity.

Robbie / Robby / Rob / Ravi / Robb / Ruby / Rafe / Roby / Raffi / Ripp /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Reef

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Reef a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Reef?

1 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

REEF · /riːf/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Famous bearers

None yet — the name first appears in the data in 2001, and its oldest bearers are still young.

Style

NatureWord name

Why parents choose it

Reef is a minimalist nature choice for ocean-loving families — one syllable, vivid image, almost no users. It suits parents comfortable with a name that is first and foremost a word.

Worth knowing

• Will prompt reef/coral and surfing comments, and occasional confusion with the similar-sounding Reese or Keith in quick speech.