Rex

Rex - A very unique male name

Rex appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #376. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Rex and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Rex? 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 Rex. The baby boy name Rex was given to 238 baby boys in 2025, ranking #851 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 6,161 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Rex peaked in popularity 75 years ago in 1951 on position 171.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Rex, 1-5?

Rex is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Rex is currently topping the baby name charts in Utah at position #368 - and is the least popular in New York at position #1,537.

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 Rex is where you live.

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Rex origin and meaning

Latin

Directly from Latin rex, 'king'

Rex is the Latin word for king, taken up as a given name in the English-speaking world in the 19th century — the era of brisk, one-syllable names. It peaked in the early 1950s, faded for decades, and now survives as a punchy retro choice. It is also, unavoidably, a classic dog's name, which some parents love and others rule it out for.

Attested etymology

Rex is a 3 letter name with 1 syllables.

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

Similar to Rex

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

Ricky / Rick / Ross / Rickey / Rocco / Royce / Rocky / Reece / Reese / Roscoe /

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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 Rex

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 Rex 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 Rex?

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

REKS · /rɛks/

Around the world

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

Famous bearers

• Rex Harrison — English actor, Professor Higgins in My Fair Lady (1908–1990) Historical

Style

Word nameRoyalClassic

Why parents choose it

Rex is picked for maximum impact in three letters — regal, blunt and a little bit rock-and-roll.

Worth knowing

• It is one of the most common dogs' names, and the jokes are guaranteed
• Tyrannosaurus rex is the other unavoidable association