I’ve been thinking about Rhys/Reese/Reece a lot lately, and could use some opinions. I feel like [name_m]Rhys[/name_m] has become the go-to spelling in the past decade or so (which I have nothing against, [name_m]Rhys[/name_m] has so much history and depth!), but I am really not fond of the [name_m]Rhys[/name_m] spelling. I’ve seen him enough I’ve trained my brain to think “like [name_f]Reese[/name_f], not rice” when I see him… and I want to love the spelling for the sake of my Welsh ancestry alone… but I just cannot get into the spelling. I love the sound of [name_m]Rhys[/name_m] but not the look of him at all.
How cringy is it to opt for [name_f]Reese[/name_f] (or Reece?) at this point? I know [name_f]Reese[/name_f] is mainly used on girls at this point… is it just asking for trouble? I’ve been fond of [name_f]Reese[/name_f] for years, but I always shake him because I inevitably come back to “but [name_m]Rhys[/name_m] is right”. Since I’m crushing on him so hard lately, I figured it was time to finally ask. Would love any opinions you have, berries!
For boys: [name_f]Reese[/name_f]
For girls: [name_m]Reece[/name_m]
I’ve never gotten into the [name_m]Rhys[/name_m] spelling. It’s not very intuitive where I live, and it looks very… modern? I know that doesn’t make sense, but something about the only vowel being a y looks off to me.
I don’t find the [name_f]Reese[/name_f] spelling cringy at all! I grew up with a boy named [name_m]Rees[/name_m] (pronounced the same way), so it’s always seemed more masculine to me anyway. I do actually prefer the rugged [name_m]Rhys[/name_m] spelling, but appreciate that a different spelling might be more intuitive for [name_f]English[/name_f] speakers. [name_m]Reece[/name_m] is fine as well, but I prefer the look of the ‘s’ spelling(s).
I always thought of [name_f]Reese[/name_f] until I saw it spelled like [name_m]Rhys[/name_m] and then I fell in love with that way.
But I think [name_f]Reese[/name_f] > [name_m]Reece[/name_m]
I think [name_f]Reese[/name_f] is a nice unisex name like [name_m]Blake[/name_m] or [name_f]Taylor[/name_f] fits nicely for whichever gendered baby you would like to name [name_f]Reese[/name_f] after
I don’t see a problem with [name_f]Reese[/name_f] at all! [name_f]Reese[/name_f] is a last name after all, so it’s not a made up or a creative spelling. Wouldn’t even be surprised to find out that the two names have different origins, but just happen to be pronounced the same (instead of [name_f]Reese[/name_f] coming after [name_m]Rhys[/name_m] as an alternate spelling). That’s just my guess though. [name_m]Even[/name_m] if [name_f]Reese[/name_f] started as an alternate spelling for [name_m]Rhys[/name_m], it has been around long enough to be well-established as a proper spelling.
I just looked up the different [name_f]Reese[/name_f] vs [name_m]Rhys[/name_m] for boys on the SSA popularity over time thing, and at least for the US, [name_f]Reese[/name_f] has been more popular than [name_m]Rhys[/name_m] for the most part, and it has been in the Top 1000 far more often than [name_m]Rhys[/name_m] has been. [name_m]Rhys[/name_m] has only been ranked in the past couple decades, whereas [name_f]Reese[/name_f] was ranked clear back in 1900.
I’m more of a fan of [name_m]Rhys[/name_m], I prefer traditional spellings where possible and to me it seems like the traditional, ‘proper’ spelling?
BUT with your own child what matters most is that it’s a name you love. So if I were you I’d go with [name_f]Reese[/name_f]! It doesn’t seem feminine to me, but then I’ve only met one or two real life Rhys’s and no [name_f]Reese[/name_f] or [name_m]Reece[/name_m], so I don’t really have any associations for the names.
I don’t think it’s cringey - especially since [name_m]Rhys[/name_m], [name_m]Reece[/name_m], and [name_f]Reese[/name_f] all rank in the US Top 1000. [name_m]Reece[/name_m] isn’t too far behind [name_m]Rhys[/name_m], and while [name_f]Reese[/name_f] is further down, it’s not unheard of, not unused. As for it being more popular for girls, so is [name_f]Avery[/name_f], but it still ranks in the boys top 250.
Maybe it’s a UK thing though, because I wouldn’t find it weird to meet a boy called [name_f]Reese[/name_f]
I’d say I prefer the [name_m]Rhys[/name_m] spelling, mainly because I’m more accostumed to it. It also matches how you pronounce the name in my opinion.
It’s a lovely name and id automatically think boy for this version but I can imagine it on a girl
With [name_f]Reese[/name_f], I’m not so sure with it but I think it works on both boys and girls.
I’m not sure if I’m being silly, but there’s a chocolate-biscuit brand with this name i think: I think of that when I see this name. (If there isn’t I apologise, but I think I remember one)
But if you like this spelling that is totally okay, my brain is just weird
After my best friend (who used to be a berry!) immediately shot down Reese, I didn’t think he’d have much of a shot… but I was pleasantly surprised that most of you think it’s a non-issue! I’ll have to give him some more thought; I like the gravitas of Rhys but the spelling visually doesn’t sit with me as well as Reese or Reece… maybe I’ll have to toy with combos and see if I can find something I love for either one? I had a combo in mind for years (Reese Nathaniel Arthur) but I don’t know that I love it anymore.
@audreymb - thank you for sharing the SSA data, it was very helpful to see!
Girl, ME TOO. That’s why I’m struggling so much with this I think. I even like Rhydian, but something about Rhys just doesn’t appeal to me.
Hahaha you’re not wrong, although I’m not sure I’d call it a biscuit? More like a candy bar, which I don’t think are biscuits, but still a sweet. I don’t think people think of that for Reese as a boys’ name over Reese as a girls’ name… but tbh I think of it just a little bit every time I hear Reese or Rhys, no matter the spelling. It wouldn’t really deter me from using either spelling tbh.
I agree, I know that [name_m]Rhys[/name_m] is supposed to be said like Reece/Reese, but my brain still says “Rise” every time I see it.
I personally prefer [name_m]Reece[/name_m] slightly more (Maybe because C is my first initial ), but [name_f]Reese[/name_f] is pretty equal and I wouldn’t think it was weird to use one spelling over the other on a boy.
This is just one person’s opinion, but I see [name_f]Reese[/name_f] as leaning heavily girl. I think that a child born in this decade would be presumed girl if their name was [name_f]Reese[/name_f].
On the other hand, I see [name_m]Rhys[/name_m] as being almost exclusively boy. I agree that the spelling is less intuitive (at least in the US), but I love that it is clearly a boy name.
Finally, we have [name_m]Reece[/name_m]. I would say this one skews slightly boy in my mind. Someone might still mistake [name_m]Reece[/name_m] for a girl name, but it is much less female-leaning than [name_f]Reese[/name_f].
I’d go for Reese. I knew a handful of Reeces growing up and none of them were nice people, and if Rhys doesn’t do it for you I’d go for Reese (reluctantly, I love Rhys SO much more).
In the UK though, Reese has never been considered a girl name.
I have a son named [name_m]Rhys[/name_m], and I experienced the same spelling conundrum as you because I loved the sound of the name. I ended up using [name_m]Rhys[/name_m]. I liked that it was the only truly masculine version of the name. I found that I encountered male and female Reece/Reese’s all the time (which is totally fine), but I liked the solidly masculine [name_m]Rhys[/name_m].
Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts and experience with the name! I think [name_m]Reece[/name_m] is probably out for me, I don’t know that I ever truly loved the spelling but was willing to entertain it if most berries found it more usable than [name_f]Reese[/name_f]. I do agree it probably leans more masculine than [name_f]Reese[/name_f] does.
I think partly [name_m]Rhys[/name_m] just feels like he has a totally different personality from [name_f]Reese[/name_f] to me? But I don’t know that I’m eliminating either [name_m]Rhys[/name_m] OR [name_f]Reese[/name_f] at this point; I like the name a lot, regardless of spelling, and I want to toss around some combos for him.
🩵:cherry_blossom:
), but [name_f]Reese[/name_f] is pretty equal and I wouldn’t think it was weird to use one spelling over the other on a boy.