Total births
1,290
Boys' name · since 1996
Reef
Reef has 1,290 recorded births since 1996 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2021 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #2551
- among boys today
- 1,290
- born since 1996
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 82%
- more common than other boys
Reef currently ranks #2551 among boys' names in America, with 1,290 babies recorded since 1996.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Reef has been recorded 1,290 times among boys since 1996, currently ranked #2551 nationally and more common than 82% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1996 to 2025.
- #2551 among boys today
- 1,290 born since 1996
- 2010s peak decade
- 82% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Reef is currently the #2551 boys' name in America, more common than 82% of boys - 1,290 born since 1996, peaking in the 2010s.
- #2551
- among boys today
- 1,290
- born since 1996
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 82%
- more common than other boys
Reef vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#2551
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 82% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
44% of everyone ever named Reef was born in this single decade.
2021
Single peak year
81 babies were named Reef in 2021 - its busiest year on record.
How Reef compares
1,290 Top 27% higher than 73% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Reef's all-time total is 4x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Reef | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,290 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 81 | 23 | 22,252 |
Reef's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Reef splits its recorded history at 2011: 69% of all births land in the more recent half, 31% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1996 (6 births) -- compare that against the 2021 peak of 81 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Reef at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2021
Current rank
#2,551
Active since
1996
Reef popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1996–2025
- Peak year (2021)
- 81
- Annual births at peak, across 30 years of records
Reef popularity over time - girls
63 total births recorded since 2012 (Reef as girls' name)
Reef by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Reef's strongest decade.
573 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 44% of all-time use.
Reef births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1990s 30
1990s
30 births
- 2000s
2000s
311 births
- 2010s
2010s
573 births
- 2020s
2020s
376 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 573 births (44% of all-time use).
How Reef compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Reef's total volume
Reef vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Reef by state
Where Reef concentrates geographically, total births since 1996
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 318 | 24.7% |
| #2 | Florida | | 310 | 24.0% |
| #3 | Hawaii | | 153 | 11.9% |
| #4 | Texas | | 10 | 0.8% |
| #5 | North Carolina | | 5 | 0.4% |
California share of Reef's total US births 24.7%
Even split
318 of 1,290 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 5 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Reef? ▼
1,290 babies have been named Reef since 1996. It currently ranks #2551 among boys. The peak year was 2021 with 81 births.
When was Reef most popular? ▼
Reef was most popular in the 2010s decade with 573 total births. The single peak year was 2021.
Where is Reef most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Reef are California (318 births), Florida (310 births), Hawaii (153 births).
How long has the name Reef been used? ▼
Records for Reef go back to 1996, giving 30 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Reef? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Reed, Reece, Reese, Rees, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Reef's data
- Reef's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (573 total births) through the 2020s (376) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Reefs (318 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Reef
Nearby Names Like Reef
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Reef
Reed Boy
#423 36,056 births
Reece Boy
#455 21,968 births
Reese Boy
#620 19,606 births
Rees Boy
#6232 1,014 births
Reeves Boy
#2159 977 births
Compare Reef side by side: Reef vs Reed Reef vs Reece Reef vs Reese
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Reef
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1996–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Reef: #2551 Boys' Name - 1,290 Births, Peak 2021." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/reef. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Reef draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.