| Carys | Reese | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Love | Ardour, enthusiasm |
| Origin | welsh | Welsh |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | KA-ris | REESS |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| First appeared | 1991 | 1924 |
| Peak year | 2006 (196) | 2012 (2,459) |
| In 2025 | 32 | 1,631 |
| Trend | Declining | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Carys | Reese |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 189 | 10,386 |
| 2010s | 933 | 20,182 |
| 2000s | 1,123 | 13,824 |
| 1990s | 82 | 372 |
| 1950s | 0 | 5 |
| 1920s | 0 | 6 |
A modern Welsh name formed from the stem of the verb caru 'to love' (compare car 'beloved friend', cariad 'love'). A genuine Welsh 'love' root; the variant Cerys is read the same way.
From the Welsh Rhys, “ardour” or “enthusiasm.”
Reese is more popular than Carys today: about 1,631 US babies were given the name Reese in 2025, compared with 32 named Carys.
Carys means Love (welsh origin), while Reese means Ardour, enthusiasm (Welsh origin).
In US records, Carys first appears in 1991 and Reese in 1924, so Reese has the longer recorded history.