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Rea

Girl name · 3 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Rea: 3 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 3 births in 1991.

Rea has multiple possible origins, most commonly tracing back to the Greek "Rhea," meaning "flowing" or "ease," and in mythology referring to the Titaness mother of the Olympian gods. It also features as a short form of Italian names like Andrea or a variant of the Irish Ré, meaning "king." One of its most famous bearers was the actress and singer Rea Garvey, frontman of the band Reamonn, though perhaps more widely known is the Scottish-born crime writer Ian Rankin, whose recurring character is Detective Inspector John Rebus—a name that shares no etymological link. Geographically, the River Rhea in Switzerland or the Greek island of Rhenea offer faint echoes, though no major place bears the name directly. As a given name, Rea remains understated but elegant, offering a light, lyrical alternative to the more common Rae or Ray.