Rhett

Rhett - A very unique male name

Rhett appeared on the charts for the first time in 1947 on position #1546. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Rhett and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Rhett? 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 Rhett. The baby boy name Rhett was given to 1,923 baby boys in 2025, ranking #188 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 762 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Rhett peaked in popularity 5 years ago in 2021 on position 149.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Rhett, 1-5?

Rhett is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Rhett is currently topping the baby name charts in South Dakota at position #48 - and is the least popular in New Jersey at position #817.

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 Rhett is where you live.

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Rhett origin and meaning

English surname, from Dutch

From the Dutch surname de Raedt, from raet, 'advice, counsel', anglicised in England

Rhett existed as a rare surname-derived name, but its life as a first name begins with Rhett Butler, the hero of Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind (1936) and the 1939 film. It grew slowly for decades, peaked in 2021 in the country-boy name wave, and has since fallen back.

Attested etymology

Rhett is a 5 letter name with 1 syllables.

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

Similar to Rhett

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

Rudy / Reid / Reed / Rod / Rowdy / Ryatt / Rohit / Rito / Riot / Roddy /

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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 Rhett

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 Rhett 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 Rhett?

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

ret · /rɛt/

Around the world

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

Spellings and nicknames

• Rhet — A rare single-t spelling

Famous bearers

• Rhett Butler — The hero of Gone with the Wind (Fictional, 1936) Fictional
• Rhett McLaughlin — Comedian and co-host of Good Mythical Morning; Rhett is his given name (b. 1977) Contemporary

Style

SurnameLiterary

Why parents choose it

Rhett is a compact Southern gentleman of a name, chosen for its Rhett Butler dash; it is past its 2021 peak but still well within current fashion.

Worth knowing

• The Gone with the Wind association is total — expect 'frankly, my dear' jokes
• One syllable and no natural nickname, which some families see as inflexible