Reada
English variant of the Old English name Reada, meaning "red-haired".
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Reada. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Reada today is around 78 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Reada births was 1947 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Reada. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Reada is about 78 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Readas were born before 1958.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Reada. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
1947
7 babies that year
Average age
78
years old
1947 SSA rank
#4,678
Tracked since 1925
Popularity
Reada: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Reada from the 1920s through to the 1940s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1940s, with 13 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Reada by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Reada during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Reada
The given name Reada is an Old English name with origins dating back to the 5th century. It is derived from the Old English word "read," which means "red" or "ruddy." The name was likely given to children with reddish hair or a flushed complexion.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Reada is in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a historical record of events in Anglo-Saxon England. The entry from the year 611 mentions a person named Reada who was involved in a battle against the Britons.
In the 8th century, a monk named Reada was known for his work in translating Latin texts into Old English. He is considered one of the earliest English scholars and played a significant role in preserving the language and literature of the time.
During the reign of King Alfred the Great (849-899), a nobleman named Reada was appointed as one of the king's advisors. He is mentioned in historical records as playing a crucial role in the defense of Wessex against Viking invasions.
In the 11th century, a woman named Reada of Northumbria was renowned for her skill in embroidery and needlework. Her work was highly sought after by the nobility and clergy, and some of her pieces are believed to have been preserved in cathedral treasuries.
Another notable figure with the name Reada was a 12th-century monk and chronicler from the monastery of St. Albans. His chronicle, known as the "Gesta Abbatum Monasterii Sancti Albani," provides valuable insights into the history and events of the time.
While the name Reada was more common in early medieval England, it has remained in use throughout history, though less frequently in more recent times. Several other individuals with this name can be found in various historical records and sources, though their significance may be less well-documented.
People
Reada + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Reada as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Reada: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Reada?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Reada going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Reada a common name?
We classify Reada as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 19 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Reada most popular?
The single biggest year for Reada was 1947, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Reada is about 78 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Reada in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Reada a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Reada in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Reada still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Reada in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Reada can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have the name Reada?
If you just want to know how many Americans are named Reada, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.