Reese, the Anglicized form of Rhys, comes from the Old Welsh name Ris and word ris, meaning "enthusiasm" or "ardor." It debuted on the Social Security Administration's top 1,000 for girl names in 2000 and saw a spike in popularity over the next few years thanks to the rise of actress Reese Witherspoon, who starred in the hit film "Legally Blonde" in 2001. It has now been a top-200 girl's name every since 2006. In 2010, a couple named their daughter Reese E. Cupp after what they describe as their "favorite candy," per People.
