unisex name
Reeves
REEVZ (English)
- Origin English
- Gender Unisex
- Syllables 1
- Letters 6
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 1,076
Reeves is a boy's name from an English surname meaning "bailiff" or "steward." It comes from Middle English reve, a local official who managed an estate or town for a lord, and the final -s marks the son or servant of a reeve.
- Reeves is a name of English origin.
- Peaked in 2024, when 81 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 50,234 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1912.
- 1 syllable, with the stress on syllable 1.
Reeves Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1910s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 71 |
| 1920s | 94 |
| 1930s | 49 |
| 1940s | 45 |
| 1950s | 25 |
| 1960s | 14 |
| 1970s | 19 |
| 1980s | 5 |
| 1990s | 88 |
| 2000s | 106 |
| 2010s | 261 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 282 |
What Reeves Means
Reeves means son of the reeve, an estate manager or local officer. The title gives the name a solid, responsible sense, and the word survives in English sheriff, originally a shire reeve.
Where Reeves Comes From
Old English gerefa named a high official under the king, and it wore down to Middle English reve. A reeve collected dues, oversaw tenants and answered for a district, which made him a notable local figure. Sheriff comes from scīr-gerefa, the reeve of a shire. Surnames developed from the post, either for the officer himself or for his son, with the -s being a genitive ending. Reeve and Reeves are both widespread in southern England, and they spread to America early. Modern parents have taken it up in the same way as Brooks and Hayes.
Reeves in Use
Keanu Reeves, Christopher Reeve and country singer Jim Reeves have made the surname familiar. As a first name, it's a recent American choice that reads as both polished and approachable.
How Popular Is Reeves?
In 2025, Reeves was given to 66 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Reeves Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Reeves
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Reeves Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Reeves over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Reeves
- English REEVZ
Reeves in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
- Other forms
- Forms we hold no single language for — some are used across several, some are simply spelled differently.
- Reeve
Sibling Names for Reeves
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Reeves — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Reeves
What does the name Reeves mean?
Bailiff or steward, or the son of one.
Is Reeves related to the word sheriff?
Yes. Sheriff comes from shire reeve, the reeve of a county.
Is Reeves a boy's or a girl's name?
It's mainly used for boys in the United States.
How popular is the name Reeves?
In 2025, Reeves was given to 66 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
How many syllables are in Reeves?
Reeves has 1 syllable.
When was Reeves most popular?
Reeves peaked in 2024, when 81 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
Is Reeves a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Reeves currently ranks #2,447 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.