Rei — Meaning, Origin, Pronunciation & Popularity

The meaning

A name that means "naoi rei - ive foundational k-pop + japanese member".

Rei is from the Japanese 麗 (rei — beautiful, lovely). A modern American baby name in the broader Japanese-Korean K-pop heritage aesthetic. Naoi Rei (直井怜, born 2004) — foundational Japanese member of IVE (아이브, Starship Entertainment, debuted December 2021) — widely considered one of the foundational 4th-generation K-pop girl groups alongside aespa + LE SSERAFIM + NewJeans + ITZY. IVE's foundational hits Eleven (2021 debut), Love Dive (2022), After Like (2022), I AM (2023), Kitsch (2023), Baddie (2023). Foundational figure in modern J-pop + K-pop cross-cultural Hallyu Korean Wave + IVE's foundational Galway Girl sampling tradition. Also widely known: Rei Ayanami (foundational Neon Genesis Evangelion iconic character + foundational 1995 anime archetype).

Featured throughout Japanese heritage.

Beautiful (Japanese). Naoi Rei — IVE foundational Japanese member (Starship Entertainment Dec 2021 + 4th-gen K-pop) + Love Dive + After Like + I AM + Rei Ayanami foundational Neon Genesis Evangelion archetype 1995 anime.

In its original form

The name in its native script.

麗 / 怜

Transliteration: Rei
Pronunciation: / reɪ /
Root: —
Grammatical form: —

Popularity

Where Rei stands.

Current rank · 2025

№ 0 in the U.S.

All-time peak

№ 0 in 0

Babies named Rei · last year

88 in the U.S.

First entered SSA top-1000

0

Rank, 1995–2025 Lower = more popular

Namesakes

Reis before her.

Real people

Rei (Naoi Rei, IVE)

IVE foundational Japanese member + 4th-gen K-pop.

born 2004

In fiction

Rei Ayanami

Neon Genesis Evangelion foundational character.

1995

Numerology

The number behind Rei.

9

The Humanitarian

Rei reduces to nine.

Parents on Rei

Why families chose this name.

"IVE Rei. Three letters. Rei."

Yuki · Mother of one · Tokyo

Rei Rei — Meaning, Origin & Baby Name Popularity