Rene
A male given name from French.
Every Rene since 1880 — 72,779 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Rene
Rene is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #1,092 in 2025 with 197 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 72,779 American babies have been named Rene — about 70% boys and 30% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1962, when 1,649 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Rene stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Rene year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 13 | #8,244 | 197 | #1,092 |
| 2024 | 18 | #6,596 | 227 | #991 |
| 2023 | 20 | #6,117 | 201 | #1,078 |
| 2022 | 15 | #7,569 | 235 | #965 |
| 2021 | 15 | #7,564 | 231 | #967 |
| 2020 | 20 | #6,036 | 217 | #985 |
| 2019 | 13 | #8,514 | 230 | #940 |
| 2018 | 18 | #6,734 | 226 | #932 |
| 2017 | 16 | #7,366 | 260 | #850 |
| 2016 | 20 | #6,367 | 246 | #889 |
| 2015 | 19 | #6,673 | 277 | #820 |
| 2014 | 21 | #6,166 | 287 | #804 |
| 2013 | 23 | #5,794 | 291 | #772 |
| 2012 | 14 | #8,539 | 315 | #736 |
| 2011 | 29 | #4,890 | 363 | #649 |
| 2010 | 17 | #7,442 | 388 | #627 |
| 2009 | 21 | #6,503 | 410 | #615 |
| 2008 | 35 | #4,434 | 464 | #561 |
| 2007 | 29 | #5,067 | 507 | #517 |
| 2006 | 31 | #4,662 | 524 | #496 |
| 2005 | 48 | #3,253 | 524 | #479 |
| 2004 | 42 | #3,555 | 573 | #453 |
| 2003 | 44 | #3,338 | 563 | #445 |
| 2002 | 58 | #2,666 | 586 | #420 |
| 2001 | 65 | #2,431 | 591 | #420 |
| 2000 | 89 | #1,920 | 662 | #386 |
| 1995 | 97 | #1,574 | 699 | #351 |
| 1990 | 146 | #1,179 | 838 | #303 |
| 1985 | 192 | #847 | 732 | #280 |
| 1980 | 264 | #669 | 675 | #300 |
| 1975 | 325 | #532 | 688 | #279 |
| 1970 | 547 | #414 | 869 | #261 |
| 1965 | 635 | #361 | 746 | #273 |
| 1960 | 910 | #311 | 710 | #295 |
| 1955 | 465 | #407 | 528 | #322 |
| 1950 | 222 | #558 | 389 | #342 |
| 1945 | 68 | #923 | 248 | #378 |
| 1940 | 23 | #1,675 | 168 | #448 |
| 1935 | 33 | #1,258 | 166 | #443 |
| 1930 | 40 | #1,193 | 182 | #436 |
| 1925 | 35 | #1,369 | 178 | #452 |
| 1920 | 35 | #1,345 | 141 | #515 |
| 1915 | 22 | #1,612 | 105 | #547 |
| 1910 | 13 | #1,323 | 29 | #533 |
| 1905 | 9 | #1,397 | 7 | #1,069 |
| 1900 | 11 | #1,214 | 10 | #892 |
| 1895 | 11 | #1,042 | 6 | #1,059 |
| 1890 | — | — | 5 | #1,126 |
| 1885 | 5 | #1,168 | 5 | #1,069 |
| 1880 | — | — | 5 | #1,034 |
Famous people named Rene
- Renée of France Politician · 1510–1574
- Renée Zellweger Actor · b. 1969
- Rene Russo Actor · b. 1954
- Renée Taylor Actor · b. 1933
- Renée Simonot Actor · b. 1911
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Rene mean?
A male given name from French.
How popular is the name Rene in 2025?
Rene ranked #1,092 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 197 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Rene?
72,779 babies have been named Rene in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Rene most popular?
Rene peaked in 1962, when 1,649 newborns received the name.
Is Rene a boy or girl name?
Rene is used for both: about 30% of babies named Rene have been girls and 70% boys.
Is the name Rene rising or falling?
Rene is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Rene?
Well-known people named Rene include Renée of France (politician), Renée Zellweger (actor), Rene Russo (actor).