Rhys is a boy name with a modern feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Rhys means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Rhys across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Rhys has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Rhys is a boy name of Welsh origin meaning “ardor, enthusiasm”. From the Old Welsh name Ris.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 15,221 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 24,337 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 3,264 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 1,137 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 1,790 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 967 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Rhys per year, England & Wales (1996 to 2025). England & Wales peaked in 2008 (1,600/yr) · United States peaked in 2024 (995/yr) · Scotland peaked in 2008 (219/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2008 (131/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2008 (112/yr).
Rhys has been a fairly common baby name in the United States. It was most common in 2024, when it ranked #671 nationally (given to 1,166 babies that year).
Not sure if it's the one? The best way to know is to see if your partner loves it too. Swipe baby names with your partner and match on the ones you both ❤️, free, no account needed to start.
Find your name together →