Reef
Boy name · #2505 in 2025 · Very rare
In 2025, 54 baby boys were named Reef, placing it at #2505 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2457, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 33,333 boys born in 2025 was named Reef.
Babies named Reef per year. Source: SSA.
The 29-year story
Reef first appears in the Social Security records in 1996, when 6 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2021, when 81 boys were named Reef — good for #1884 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Reef against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Reef in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Reef is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Reef will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Reef is most common
State-level data for Reef is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Reef
Statistically, parents drawn to Reef tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Tuff, Rye, Rogan, Ryden, and Roen.
TuffRyeRoganRydenRoenWolfRidleyRivers
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Reef | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 54 | #2480 |
| 2024 | 53 | #2527 |
| 2023 | 68 | #2129 |
| 2022 | 62 | #2299 |
| 2021 | 81 | #1884 |
| 2020 | 58 | #2323 |
| 2019 | 71 | #2042 |
| 2018 | 53 | #2445 |
| 2017 | 51 | #2493 |
| 2016 | 57 | #2305 |
| 2015 | 51 | #2457 |
| 2014 | 54 | #2370 |
| 2013 | 49 | #2492 |
| 2012 | 51 | #2448 |
| 2011 | 72 | #1927 |
| 2010 | 64 | #2100 |
| 2009 | 51 | #2486 |
| 2008 | 51 | #2467 |
| 2007 | 39 | #2974 |
| 2006 | 47 | #2542 |
| 2005 | 32 | #3172 |
| 2004 | 27 | #3456 |
| 2003 | 16 | #4815 |
| 2002 | 24 | #3554 |
| 2001 | 14 | #5142 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Reef a popular boy name?
Reef ranked #2505 among boys in 2025 with 54 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2457.
When was the name Reef most popular?
Reef peaked in 2021, when 81 American boys received the name (ranked #1884 that year). Since 2021 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Reef?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 33,333 newborn American boys was named Reef. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.