Rex

Rex is a boy's name of English origin meaning “king.” In 2024 it was given to 316 boys in the United States.

Rex at a glance

Gender
Boy name
Origin
English & American
Meaning
“king”
Pronunciation
/ɹɛks/

About the name Rex

Rex belongs to the English & American tradition. Its meaning — “king” — is the sense carried by its English roots, and it is the meaning we verified against published sources for this page.

In the United States, Rex first appears in Social Security records in 1880. It climbed to its best-ever rank of #170 in 1951, and in 2024 316 babies received the name — 60,160 in total since 1880. Those are the official counts, not estimates.

Rex in US records

First recorded (US)
1880
Best US rank
#170 in 1951
Peak year
1951
Babies named Rex in 2024
316
Total since 1880
60,160

Rex in England & Wales records

First recorded (since 1996)
1996
Best rank
#142 in 2021
Babies named Rex in 2025
217
Total since 1996
4,242

Similar names

More names from the English & American shelf:

Frequently asked questions

What does the name Rex mean?

Rex means “king” in its English roots. We check every meaning against published sources before it appears here.

Is Rex a boy or girl name?

Rex is a boy name. In 2024, 316 babies received the name in the US.

What origin is the name Rex?

Rex comes from the English & American tradition.

How popular is the name Rex?

Rex first appears in US records in 1880. Its best-ever ranking was #170 in 1951, and 316 babies were given the name in 2024.

How do you pronounce Rex?

Rex is pronounced /ɹɛks/ (IPA).

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Meaning and origin for this page were checked against this source. US popularity figures are from the Social Security Administration's public baby-names data. England & Wales figures are from the Office for National Statistics. If you spot an error, write to [email protected] — accuracy is the whole point of this site, and corrections are made fast.