Red

Spellings & scripts●

Locally spelled Réd in MA Morocco and Rēd in DZ Algeria.

Meaning & origin●

Attested across 15 languages in the etymology graph.

Languages●

Language is read off each record's context, not declared by the bearer; a share is of all records for this spelling.

Other names spelled this way◐

Red is also recorded as 2 other names, grouped separately because the records behind them do not connect to the one described above.

• a separate name1.6K records spelled Red2 spellings in the group

  Also written Réd

• Indonesian given name1.6K records spelled Red11 spellings in the group

  Most recorded in Malaysia, Indonesia, Morocco

  Languages: Indonesian, Malay

  Also written Rëd, Ŕéď, Řĕď, R̳̿e̳̿d̳̿, Řêd

69 further groups record this spelling and are not listed here.

Grouping is the name graph's, not a register's: two spellings join a group when the evidence links them, so a group is a claim about the records rather than about the people.

Other recorded senses●

Red is also recorded in 5 other lexicons, as a different name or as an ordinary word. These are senses of the spelling, not of the name above.

• In English, Of a red hue.

  as a word·kaikki.org Wiktionary extract (IPA + transliterations)

• In Turkish, alternative form of ret (“refusal, rejection”)

  as a word·kaikki.org Wiktionary extract (IPA + transliterations)

• In yol, To encounter by chance, to take (shoe)

  as a word·kaikki.org Wiktionary extract (IPA + transliterations)

• In Slovenian, order (arrangement, disposition)

  as a word·kaikki.org Wiktionary extract (IPA + transliterations)

• In enm, counsel, advice, recommendation

  as a word·kaikki.org Wiktionary extract (IPA + transliterations)

Ordered by how much of this spelling's record each language holds, so a sense from a language the name is barely used in sits last rather than first.

Over time●

US SSA — National Baby Names (1880–present) — 44 years between 1888–2025. One register's own figures, never a sum across registers: two registers counting the same people would double them.

Notable people with this name●

• Red Nicholsb. 1905USAmerican jazz musician (1905–1965)
• Red Foleyb. 1910USAmerican country musician (1910–1968)
• Red Skeltonb. 1913USAmerican comedian (1913–1997)
• Red Auerbachb. 1917USAmerican basketball coach (1917–2006)
• Red Buttonsb. 1919USAmerican comedian and actor (1919–2006)
• Red Holzmanb. 1920USAmerican basketball player and coach (1920-1998)
• Red Kellyb. 1927CACanadian ice hockey player and coach (1927-2019)
• Red Mitchellb. 1927USAmerican jazz double-bassist, composer, lyricist, and poet (1927-1992)
• Eric Redb. 1961USAmerican screenwriter and director
• Axelle Redb. 1968BEBelgian singer-songwriter

The ten people covered by the most Wikipedia language editions — a proxy for cross-cultural notability, which favours historical and Western figures over equally prominent contemporary ones — shown by birth year. Source: Wikidata (CC0).

Evidence●

Register rows as of the 2026-09-12 data build · 90 rows in the corpus for this spelling.

Frequently asked questions

How common is the name Red?

We estimate roughly 1.4 thousand people bear Red (counting its spellings and scripts) across 6 countries in our records.

In which country does Red have the most bearers?

Red is most frequently recorded in Canada, where it is most often spelled red.

What does the name Red mean?

Recorded meaning: kpogbdu, kpdu ; to be or become red, kpoungo; a red berry growing in clusters, taya.