Reese

Reese comes from the Welsh Rhys, the name of medieval princes of Deheubarth, meaning "ardor" or "enthusiasm." The anglicized spelling softens the Welsh consonants but keeps the punch. For decades it ran as a boys' name in Wales and a surname elsewhere, until Reese Witherspoon rewrote the American reading in the late 1990s. Currently at rank 190, it tilts feminine now in the U.S. but remains comfortably unisex. One crisp syllable, a clean sibilant finish, no wasted letters. Reese feels sharp and cheerful at once, a name that walks into a room and introduces itself. Bright, brisk, easy to love.