Rena
Rena was the 2402nd most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 75 babies. Its best year was 1885, when it ranked 153rd; the most babies were born in 1962 (575). Over the last ten years it has moved up 330 places. More babies were named Rena in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Meaning Origin uncertain · English
Say it REE-nuh /ˈrinə/
- Rank in 2025
- #2,402 girls, down 481 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 75girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1962575 babies
- Total since 1880
- 39,247babies recorded
What does the name Rena mean?
Rena has no single documented origin in our sources. It was most common in the US around 1900 and is probably, in most cases, a short form of longer names ending in -rena or -ina, such as Irene, Serena or Lorena; Wiktionary's Estonian entry relates Rena to Irene. The same spelling is used for unrelated names elsewhere, including Japanese Rena. Without family information, its meaning cannot be stated with confidence.
How sure is this? Uncertain. Rena's origin is not documented in the sources consulted; the short-form explanation is a likely guess.
Related names: Irene, Serena, Rina, Reena.
See also: English names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Rena', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Wikipedia, 'Rena (given name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation)
Rena popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 123 since 1916.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,402 | 75 |
| 2020 | #1,921 | 100 |
| 2010 | #2,006 | 100 |
| 2000 | #1,468 | 126 |
| 1990 | #1,126 | 155 |
| 1980 | #607 | 303 |
| 1970 | #498 | 401 |
| 1960 | #431 | 518 |
| 1950 | #416 | 370 |
| 1940 | #379 | 307 |
| 1930 | #336 | 373 |
| 1920 | #293 | 494 |
| 1910 | #241 | 253 |
| 1900 | #205 | 235 |
| 1890 | #174 | 192 |
| 1880 | #174 | 74 |
How popular is Rena, counting every spelling?
Rena is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #1,222 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #2,402 for Rena on its own. Together these spellings went to 174 girls in 2025.
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Rena?
75 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Rena (0.02 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Rena born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 112 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Rena.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Rena?
About 19,000 people born in the US named Rena are alive today, with a median age of 59; half are between 43 and 70. That makes Rena a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Rena by state
How common Rena was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in New Jersey (5.9×), New York (2.5×). In 42 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Rena: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Rena, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Rena · Sibling names for Rena
Rena is also a nickname for Serena and Irene.
Questions about the name Rena
What does Rena mean?
The origin of Rena is uncertain: Rena's origin is not documented in the sources consulted; the short-form explanation is a likely guess.
How popular is the name Rena?
Rena was the 2402nd most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 75 babies. Its best year was 1885, when it ranked 153rd; the most babies were born in 1962 (575). Over the last ten years it has moved up 330 places. More babies were named Rena in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Is Rena a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Rena in the US.
Where is Rena most popular?
In 2021–2025, Rena was most common in New Jersey (0.28 per 1,000 girls), followed by Maryland and New York.