Rex
Boy name · #859 in 2025 · Rare
Rex is currently the #859 boy name in the United States — 281 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #679, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 6,406 boys born in 2025 was named Rex.
The 145-year story
Rex first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 13 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1951, when 1,503 boys were named Rex — good for #170 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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.
Babies named Rex per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Rex against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Rex in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Rex is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Rex will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Rex is most common
Geography matters for names, and Rex is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Rex is most common in UT (0.7 per 1,000), AZ (0.4 per 1,000), IN (0.3 per 1,000), CA (0.2 per 1,000), FL (0.2 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Rex is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Rex
Statistically, parents drawn to Rex tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Ray, Van, Ira, Robin, and Roy.
RayVanIraRobinRoyRudyBennyRoger
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Rex | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 281 | #859 |
| 2024 | 320 | #785 |
| 2023 | 368 | #721 |
| 2022 | 380 | #696 |
| 2021 | 380 | #698 |
| 2020 | 377 | #681 |
| 2019 | 410 | #651 |
| 2018 | 421 | #631 |
| 2017 | 434 | #607 |
| 2016 | 423 | #631 |
| 2015 | 374 | #679 |
| 2014 | 389 | #661 |
| 2013 | 391 | #630 |
| 2012 | 385 | #631 |
| 2011 | 386 | #618 |
| 2010 | 332 | #703 |
| 2009 | 303 | #755 |
| 2008 | 274 | #799 |
| 2007 | 236 | #874 |
| 2006 | 252 | #809 |
| 2005 | 237 | #808 |
| 2004 | 182 | #930 |
| 2003 | 182 | #913 |
| 2002 | 154 | #1008 |
| 2001 | 116 | #1178 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Rex a popular boy name?
Rex ranked #859 among boys in 2025 with 281 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #679.
When was the name Rex most popular?
Rex peaked in 1951, when 1,503 American boys received the name (ranked #170 that year). Since 1951 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Rex?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 6,406 newborn American boys was named Rex. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "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.