Rhys

Rhys arrives in a single clean syllable from Welsh hills, meaning ardor or enthusiasm. It was carried by medieval Welsh princes, most famously Rhys ap Gruffydd, the twelfth-century Lord of Deheubarth, and it remains deeply rooted in Welsh cultural pride. Pronounced like the English name Reece, the Rhys spelling keeps its homeland in view. It has climbed American charts in the 2010s and 20s, a favorite among parents drawn to short, sharp, and distinctly Celtic names. The sound is brisk and confident, an arrow rather than a flourish. Rhys reads handsome and understated, a boy with quick instincts, a dry sense of humor, and something to prove only to himself.