Reece vs Rhys
Reece and Rhyscompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2001, Reece was ranked #92 and Rhys #76 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Reece was ranked #402 and Rhys #179 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Reece was ranked #246 and Rhys #218 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Reece was ranked #404 and Rhys #305 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Reece was ranked #592 and Rhys #355 among boys in England and Wales.
Reece and Rhys over time
Reece and Rhys appear together in 4 published lists, across 105 years of shared records. Rhys held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Reece in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Reece reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Rhys in 1. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2006, Rhys moved ahead of Reece in England and Wales · Boys — #56 and #59 the year before became #56 and #49.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Reece and Rhys changed places 5 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #404 and #305.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Reece and Rhys averaged 53.0 places apart, ending at #592 and #355.
- Longest-running competitions
Reece and Rhys were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 35 years, from 1991 to 2025, ending at #402 and #179.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Reece #74 in 1992, Rhys #49 in 1991.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys35 shared years, 1991–2025
Reece held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Rhys in 22.
Highest recorded here: Reece #82 in 2001, Rhys #65 in 2010.
The order changed in 2007: Rhys moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #101 and #104; by 2007 that had become #99 and #76.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Reece #402, Rhys #179.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Reece held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Rhys in 19.
Highest recorded here: Reece #40 in 2000, Rhys #49 in 2006.
The order changed in 2006: Rhys moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #56 and #59; by 2006 that had become #56 and #49.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Reece #592, Rhys #355.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Reece held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Rhys in 14.
Highest recorded here: Reece #38 in 2006, Rhys #25 in 2008.
The order changed in 2023: Rhys moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #192 and #207; by 2023 that had become #395 and #200.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Reece #404, Rhys #305.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys13 shared years, 1989–2001
Reece held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Rhys in 13.
Highest recorded here: Reece #74 in 1992, Rhys #49 in 1991.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2001: Reece #92, Rhys #76.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Reece | Rhys |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Behind the Name hedges the meaning with 'probably' — possibly derived from a root meaning 'ardour' or 'enthusiasm'. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Welsh, from Old Welsh Ris |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /riːs/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #402 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #179 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Rhys has a recorded origin (Welsh, from Old Welsh Ris); Reece does not have one recorded yet.
- Reece has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Rhys.
- A meaning is recorded for Rhys; Reece doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Reece
Popularity journey
First recorded1989
First recorded at #95 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1989 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #38 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2006 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #402 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Rhys
Popularity journey
First recorded1975
First recorded at #85 among boys in New Zealand in 1975 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #25 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2008 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #179 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys