Rhett Name Meaning, Origin, Popularity, Boy Names Like Rhett

Rhett Name Origin: English
Pronunciation: ret
See what 9 people think about Rhett

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Rhett Name Meaning

The name Rhett is traditionally associated with strength and leadership. It is often seen as a name for a boy who is independent, brave, and confident. The name Rhett is of Germanic origin and derives from the Germanic name Ried. The name is thought to mean “ruler” or “king.”

Origins of the Name Rhett

The name Rhett has a long and varied history. It can be traced back to the Middle Ages in Europe and derived from the Germanic name Ried, which means “ruler” or “king.” The name was brought to America by English and Dutch settlers in the 17th and 18th centuries.

In America, the name Rhett was popularized by the character of Rhett Butler in Margaret Mitchell’s 1936 novel, Gone with the Wind. The character was based on a real historical figure, Major William Rhett, who was a privateer during the American Revolution.

Popularity of the Name Rhett

The name Rhett has remained popular in the United States since the publication of Gone with the Wind in 1936. It has consistently been in the top 100 baby names since the 1970s and remains popular to this day.

Final Thoughts on the Name Rhett

Rhett is a classic name with a long and varied history. It is a name associated with strength and leadership, and its popularity in the United States has endured for decades. Whether you are looking for a strong, traditional name for your son or simply want to honor a beloved literary character, Rhett is sure to make a great choice.

Rhett Name Popularity

How popular is the name Rhett? Here’s everything we know.

Year	Rank	# Births	% Births
1910	—	0	0%
1911	—	0	0%
1912	—	0	0%
1913	—	0	0%
1914	—	0	0%
1915	—	0	0%
1916	—	0	0%
1917	—	0	0%
1918	—	0	0%
1919	—	0	0%
1920	—	0	0%
1921	—	0	0%
1922	—	0	0%
1923	—	0	0%
1924	—	0	0%
1925	—	0	0%
1926	—	0	0%
1927	—	0	0%
1928	—	0	0%
1929	—	0	0%
1930	—	0	0%
1931	—	0	0%
1932	—	0	0%
1933	—	0	0%
1934	—	0	0%
1935	—	0	0%
1936	—	0	0%
1937	—	0	0%
1938	—	0	0%
1939	—	0	0%
1940	—	0	0%
1941	—	0	0%
1942	—	0	0%
1943	—	0	0%
1944	—	0	0%
1945	—	0	0%
1946	—	0	0%
1947	—	6	0.0004%
1948	—	0	0%
1949	—	0	0%
1950	—	7	0.0004%
1951	—	0	0%
1952	—	5	0.0003%
1953	—	17	0.001%
1954	—	9	0.0005%
1955	—	24	0.0013%
1956	—	25	0.0013%
1957	—	13	0.0007%
1958	—	35	0.0019%
1959	—	21	0.0011%
1960	—	34	0.0018%
1961	—	56	0.003%
1962	—	49	0.0027%
1963	—	54	0.003%
1964	—	50	0.0028%
1965	—	28	0.0017%
1966	—	46	0.0029%
1967	—	37	0.0024%
1968	—	64	0.0043%
1969	—	96	0.0062%
1970	—	99	0.0062%
1971	—	97	0.0065%
1972	—	90	0.0066%
1973	—	73	0.0056%
1974	—	65	0.005%
1975	—	79	0.0061%
1976	—	92	0.0071%
1977	—	163	0.0121%
1978	—	119	0.0089%
1979	—	100	0.0071%
1980	—	89	0.0061%
1981	—	96	0.0065%
1982	—	107	0.0072%
1983	—	95	0.0064%
1984	—	64	0.0043%
1985	—	105	0.0069%
1986	—	58	0.0038%
1987	—	117	0.0077%
1988	—	90	0.0058%
1989	—	111	0.0069%
1990	—	98	0.0059%
1991	—	89	0.0055%
1992	—	121	0.0076%
1993	—	114	0.0073%
1994	—	138	0.009%
1995	—	191	0.0127%
1996	—	253	0.0169%
1997	—	242	0.0164%
1998	—	230	0.0154%
1999	—	172	0.0115%
2000	—	228	0.0149%
2001	—	195	0.0129%
2002	—	234	0.0156%
2003	—	233	0.0153%
2004	—	201	0.0132%
2005	—	260	0.017%
2006	—	297	0.019%
2007	—	286	0.0181%
2008	—	303	0.0196%
2009	—	328	0.0219%
2010	—	370	0.0257%
2011	—	412	0.0289%
2012	—	488	0.0342%
2013	—	660	0.0464%
2014	—	951	0.0653%
2015	—	1,320	0.0907%
2016	—	1,751	0.1214%
2017	—	2,164	0.155%
2018	—	2,282	0.1661%
2019	—	2,365	0.1747%
2020	—	2,267	0.1781%
2021	—	2,519	0.2061%
2022	—	2,407	0.1825%
2023	—	2,167	0.1674%

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Data via SSA.gov.

Names Like Rhett

If you like Rhett, you’ll love these other names like Rhett.

What names sound like Rhett?

If you like how Rhett sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Rhett.

Name	Meaning	Origin
Read	Red	English
Redd	Near the reeds; red-haired	English
Reed	Red	English
Reid	Red-haired	English
Reyd	Red	English
Rito
Roth	Red	German

What names are similar to Rhett?

Find a name that’s like Rhett, but just a little bit different.

Name	Meaning	Origin
Hiatt	Lofty gate	English
Ohed	Loved one	Hebrew
Raheem	Compassionate	Arabic
Renat	Rebirth	French
Rhory	Red king	Irish
Rusty	Bearing rust; short form of Russell	English

Lists With Rhett

Find inspiration in these baby boy name lists featuring the name Rhett.

Siblings of Rhett

Mamas with kids named Rhett also have kids with these names.

Name	Meaning	Origin	Popularity	Other Gender
Beckett	Bee cottage	English

Emsley	From the elm wood	English
Therron	Hunter	Greek
Harper	Harp Player	English
Declan	Full of goodness	Irish

Share Your Thoughts

9 Comments

Jerome Rhett Oct 14 at 11:33 am

I was told by a gentleman from Germany that Rhett means that you always right.

Reply
Julie Jul 6 at 5:03 am

Everett is cute. However, I’m not a fan of the potential nn, Rhett. There’s a narcissistic abusive Rhett that we unfortunately had in our lives. I can never look at the name the same again.

Reply
Jenna Oct 11 at 10:21 pm

It was the first name my husband and I could agree on. We wanted something that wasn’t super common but totally off the wall. Rhett is an easy name to call.

Reply
Janine Nov 20 at 8:36 am

We struggled with a name for our scone baby boy. We wanted something different that you don’t hear often. After looking over names constantly we came across Rhett. My husband instantly fell in love as he loves the movie gone with the wind and Rhett Butler.

Reply
Laura Sep 21 at 9:55 am

It’s different and not everyone has the name.

Reply
Elizabeth Oct 2 at 10:09 pm

We landed on the name Rhett while searching through the BabyNames app. I’ve always loved the name, way back to when I was a little girl watching Gone with the Wind, and was so happy when I saw that my husband loved it too! It seems like such a masculine yet gentle name. Strong and silent. Classic. Our baby boy seems to fit the name already. He’s always observing the world around him, has an absolutely charming dimpled smile, and has a strength that’s already evident. We’re so happy we chose the name!

Reply
Keri Jun 16 at 9:34 am

My husband and I heard the name while we were out somewhere one day and just fell in love with it.

Reply
Elise Jun 13 at 7:01 pm

Ever since seeing Gone With The Wind when I was younger I’ve always loved the name Rhett. I’m from Georgia, which is where the movie was filmed, but I live up north now so I feel like it is a nod to my southern roots! I also like that I don’t know anyone else with that name. It’s easy to spell and pronounce and it’s different but not too different. I don’t like names that are too common or too strange.

Reply
Whitney Apr 11 at 1:31 pm

This was a name we first came across in a baby name book. I didn’t know any other Rhett’s and I loved the name!

Reply

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