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At a Glance: Name: Reeves – Meaning: occupational 'steward/bailiff' root (via Reeve + non-meaningful -s); competing topographic and Irish origins also documented – Origin: English (surname, multiple possible origins) – Gender: Neutral – Pronunciation: REEVZ
Reeves is an English surname, most often traced to the occupational title 'reeve' — a steward or bailiff — though topographic and Irish origins are also documented for it. You'll sometimes see it explained as meaning 'son of the steward,' but that's not quite accurate: the final -s isn't a patronymic marker the way it is in a name like Jones, it's what's called an excrescent -s, a non-meaningful addition attached to that same steward root. It's pronounced REEVZ (/ˈriːvz/) and is a neutral name.
Meaning & Origin of Reeves
Meaning: Occupational 'steward/bailiff' root (via reeve + non-meaningful -s); competing topographic and irish origins also documented.
Origin: English (surname, multiple possible origins).
A common claim: Reeves means 'son of the steward' Actually: Reeves is often explained as 'son of the steward,' as if the -s were a patronymic marker (like Jones, 'son of John'). But the -s here is what's called 'excrescent' — a non-meaningful addition — so it isn't literally a patronymic, even though it shares the same 'steward' root.
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Reeves
Phonetic: REEVZ IPA: /ˈriːvz/
Popularity of Reeves
SSA records put Reeves at its historical peak rank of #1717 in 1912, when only 10 babies were given the name; by 2024 it ranked #2178, but with 67 babies recorded that year — more actual babies named Reeves than at its earlier peak.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1912–2024.
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Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Reeves mean?
Occupational ‘steward/bailiff’ root (via reeve + non-meaningful -s); competing topographic and irish origins also documented. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Reeves)
How do you pronounce Reeves?
Reeves is pronounced REEVZ (IPA: /ˈriːvz/).
Is Reeves a popular name right now?
Reeves peaked at #1717 in 1912 and is ranked #2178 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1912–2024.)
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