Read
- US rank
- Unranked
- Syllables
- 1
- Peak
- #2,022 in 1949
0 babies were named Read in the US in 2025.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1914–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Read you might not know, from US birth records. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
- HistoryRead first shows up in US birth records in 1914, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 111 years since.
- Best yearIts best year was 1949, when it reached #2,022.
About the name Read
Read is a boy name of English and Scottish origin. It has 4 letters and 1 syllable, starting with R and ending in “-ead”. US birth records list Read for boys from 1914 to 2014, in 48 of those 101 years. Its best year was 1949, when it ranked #2,022 among boy names. It hasn't been given to 5 or more US babies in a year since 2014, so today it's a genuinely rare choice.
Origin:English namesScottish names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 4.0 | 246,914 boys |
| 1920s | 1.4 | 694,444 boys |
| 1930s | 1.7 | 588,235 boys |
| 1940s | 2.6 | 389,105 boys |
| 1950s | 2.2 | 462,963 boys |
| 1960s | 1.4 | 689,655 boys |
| 1970s | 1.2 | 847,458 boys |
| 1980s | 1.6 | 641,026 boys |
| 1990s | 2.7 | 367,647 boys |
| 2000s | 1.6 | 645,161 boys |
| 2010s | 1.0 | 961,538 boys |
More English boy names
- Boy name: Oliver · olive tree
- Boy name: Henry · ruler of the home
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: William · resolute protector
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Hudson · son of Hudde
- Unisex name: Julian · of the Julius family
Questions about the name Read
What is the origin of the name Read?
Read has English, Scottish roots in our records. Other English names include Oliver, Henry, James.
Is Read a boy or girl name?
Read is a boy name.
How popular is the name Read?
Read is rare: fewer than 5 US boys got it in 2025, and it was last given to 5 or more in 2014. It peaked at #2,022 in 1949.