Rhys
Rhys is a boys' name of Celtic origin meaning “ardor, passion, enthusiasm.” It ranked #412 in the United States in 2025. One of the great Welsh names, borne by Rhys ap Gruffydd (The Lord Rhys), the most powerful ruler of medieval Deheubarth.
how do you pronounce Rhys?
REES
Hear it spoken aloud with our AI pronunciation tool.
what does Rhys mean?
The name Rhys means “ardor, passion, enthusiasm.” It comes from the Celtic language tradition.
One of the great Welsh names, borne by Rhys ap Gruffydd (The Lord Rhys), the most powerful ruler of medieval Deheubarth. The name means ardor or passion. Despite its single syllable, it carries the full weight of Welsh princely heritage and fiery spirit.
where does the name Rhys come from?
Wiktionary traces Rhys to a word for ardor or "fiery warrior," ultimately from a root meaning "to run," and hedges that its resemblance to Welsh words for attack or war hammer may run the other way — those words possibly derive from the name rather than feeding into it.
the history of Rhys
Wikipedia calls Rhys a popular Welsh given name originating in Deheubarth, an old region of South West Wales, and names Rhys ap Tewdwr — not Rhys ap Gruffydd as claimed elsewhere — as one of the region's famous kings.
how popular is this name?
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | #412 |
| 2024 | #353 |
| 2023 | #353 |
| 2022 | #426 |
| 2021 | #413 |
| 2020 | #419 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset
who are famous people named Rhys?
- Rhys ap Gruffydd (The Lord Rhys, medieval Welsh prince)
- Rhys Ifans (Welsh actor)
what names are similar to Rhys?
what names go well with Rhys?
Sibling names that share Rhys's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
Last reviewed April 30, 2026 · Curated by HushName editorial
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