NameCensus.

UK name, mostly boys

Reu

Hebrew name meaning "his friend" or "his shepherd.".

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.

Reu is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Reu popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4270, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2021, with 6 births.

This profile covers 22 England and Wales registrations across 5 recorded years from 2017 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 67% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 22 living people in the UK are called Reu. 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

  • Reu ranked #4270 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2021, when 6 boys were registered as Reu.
  • About 22 living people in the UK are estimated to have Reu as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 88.0% of Reu registrations are for boys.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4270

2024

Births in 2024

4

Latest year

Peak year

2021

6 births

Estimated living

22

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Reu

In England and Wales birth records, Reu has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 88.0% of registrations are for boys and 12.0% 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.

88% boys
Boys22 (88.0%)Girls3 (12.0%)

Reu registered for boys

  • Ranked #4,270 in 2024
  • 4 boys registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2021 (6 births)

Reu registered for girls

  • Ranked #5,687 in 2023
  • 3 girls registered in 2023
  • Peak: 2023 (3 births)

Meaning

What does Reu mean?

The given name Reu is derived from the Hebrew name רְעוּ (Re'u), which is a biblical name meaning "friend" or "companion." It is believed to have originated during the ancient biblical times, around the early first millennium BCE.

In the Old Testament, Reu is mentioned as the son of Peleg and the father of Serug in the genealogies recorded in the Book of Genesis. He is listed among the ancestors of Abraham and is said to have lived for 239 years.

The name Reu is not very common, but there are a few notable individuals throughout history who have borne this name. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was Reu ben Shlomo, a Jewish scholar and philosopher who lived in medieval Spain during the 11th century.

Another prominent figure with the name Reu was Reu ben Baruch Albalag, a Spanish-Jewish poet and philosopher who lived in the 12th century. He was known for his religious writings and his contributions to the development of Jewish philosophy during the Golden Age of Jewish culture in Spain.

In the 16th century, there was a French Protestant theologian named Reu Chretien who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation. He was a key figure in the spread of Calvinism in France and was known for his writings on theology and biblical interpretation.

In more recent times, Reu Makata was a notable Japanese writer and poet who lived in the early 20th century. He is considered one of the pioneers of modern Japanese literature and was known for his innovative use of language and his exploration of themes related to identity and social change.

Another individual named Reu was Reu Zhong, a Chinese scientist and engineer who made significant contributions to the field of aerospace engineering in the late 20th century. He was involved in the development of China's space program and played a key role in the design and construction of several spacecraft and rockets.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Reu over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Reu in England and Wales, from 2017 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 Reu, the clearest high point is 2021. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 6 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
02468201720202024

Decades

Reu by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Reu 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 #3603 15 3
2010s #4373 7 2

Related

Names similar to Reu

FAQ

Reu: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Reu was ranked #4270 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.

When was Reu most popular?

The peak year on record was 2021, with 6 babies registered as Reu in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Reu?

Hebrew name meaning "his friend" or "his shepherd.".

How many people are called Reu in the UK?

A total of 22 babies have been registered as Reu across the 5 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.