NameCensus.

UK name, mostly boys

Rei

A Japanese name potentially meaning "gratitude", "respect", or "companion spirit".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Also recorded as a girls' name in the UK, with 74 girls.

Rei is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Rei popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2921, with 7 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2022, with 10 births.

This profile covers 81 England and Wales registrations across 15 recorded years from 2009 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 70% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 81 living people in the UK are called Rei. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Rei ranked #2921 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 7 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2022, when 10 boys were registered as Rei.
  • Rei is also recorded for girls, but the boys side is the larger UK variant in these records.
  • About 81 living people in the UK are estimated to have Rei as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 52.3% of Rei registrations are for boys.

Latest rank (E&W)

#2921

2024

Births in 2024

7

Latest year

Peak year

2022

10 births

Estimated living

81

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Rei

In England and Wales birth records, Rei has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 52.3% of registrations are for boys and 47.7% are for girls.

These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.

52% boys
48% girls
Boys81 (52.3%)Girls74 (47.7%)

Rei registered for boys

  • Ranked #2,921 in 2024
  • 7 boys registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2022 (10 births)

Rei registered for girls

  • Ranked #4,843 in 2024
  • 4 girls registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2018 (12 births)

Meaning

What does Rei mean?

The name Rei has its origins in Japanese culture, where it is a unisex name with various meanings and interpretations. It is often written using the kanji characters 零, meaning "zero" or "null," or 玲, meaning "tinkling of jade jewels."

One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Rei dates back to the 8th century, appearing in the ancient Japanese literary work "The Tale of Genji" by Murasaki Shikibu. In this classic novel, Rei was the name of a female character, a lady-in-waiting to one of the main protagonists.

In Japanese Buddhism, the name Rei is associated with the concept of "zero" or "nothingness," symbolizing the emptiness and impermanence of all things. This philosophical interpretation has led some to view the name as representing humility, purity, and detachment from material possessions.

Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Rei. One of the most famous was Rei Kawakubo, the renowned Japanese fashion designer and founder of the avant-garde label Comme des Garçons. Born in 1942, Kawakubo revolutionized fashion with her unconventional and deconstructed designs, challenging traditional notions of beauty and aesthetics.

Another prominent individual with the name Rei was Rei Hino, a fictional character from the popular Japanese manga and anime series "Sailor Moon." As Sailor Mars, Rei Hino was a powerful warrior with psychic abilities and a strong sense of justice, inspiring many fans around the world.

In the realm of Japanese literature, Rei Nakazawa was a celebrated author and poet who lived from 1945 to 2011. His works explored themes of war, peace, and the human condition, often drawing from his experiences as a survivor of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.

Rei Kawakubo, the pioneering fashion designer, revolutionized the industry with her avant-garde and deconstructed designs, challenging traditional notions of beauty and aesthetics.

Rei Hino, the fictional character from the popular "Sailor Moon" series, was a powerful warrior with psychic abilities and a strong sense of justice, inspiring many fans worldwide.

Rei Nakazawa, the Japanese author and poet, explored themes of war, peace, and the human condition through his works, drawing from his experiences as a survivor of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Rei over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Rei in England and Wales, from 2009 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Rei, the clearest high point is 2022. The latest England and Wales figure is 7 births in 2024, compared with 10 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
05101520200920162024

Decades

Rei by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Rei was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #3306 31 5
2010s #3812 45 9
2000s #3227 5 1

Related

Names similar to Rei

FAQ

Rei: questions and answers

How popular is the name Rei in the UK right now?

In 2024, Rei was ranked #2921 for boys in England and Wales, with 7 births registered.

When was Rei most popular?

The peak year on record was 2022, with 10 babies registered as Rei in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Rei?

A Japanese name potentially meaning "gratitude", "respect", or "companion spirit".

How many people are called Rei in the UK?

A total of 81 babies have been registered as Rei across the 15 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.