Reed

Reed is a marsh at dawn, tall grasses swaying in wind. The name descends from the Old English read, meaning red-haired, applied as a nickname and later a surname; the homophonous reed, the slender water plant, only deepens its appeal. Reed has a monosyllabic precision that pairs easily with longer surnames, clean as a pencil line. It has held quietly in the 400s for years, never trendy, never dated. Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four lent a geek-hero layer; the surname tradition carries literary weight. One syllable, warm vowel, crisp end. The name equivalent of a good linen shirt.