Rex

Rex is the Latin word for king, derived from the Proto-Indo-European root reg-, meaning to rule or straighten. This root gave rise to a vast family of words across European languages, including the English royal, regal, and reign, the French roi, the Spanish rey, and the Sanskrit raja. In ancient Rome, rex was the title borne by the seven kings of the early city before the foundation of the Republic. The word became taboo in Republican Rome, where kingship was associated with tyranny, but its use as a personal name in the modern era is entirely divorced from that political history.

Rex entered use as a given name in the Victorian era, when Latin names and classical references were fashionable. It peaked in English-speaking countries in the early to mid-twentieth century, associated with a certain confident, gentlemanly character. The name was used across Britain, Australia, the United States, and New Zealand. It declined through the latter half of the twentieth century but has experienced a notable revival in the twenty-first century as parents rediscover short, strong, vintage names. In pop culture, Rex has been used for heroic characters, loyal dogs, and swaggering antiheroes alike. Its simplicity, strength, and regal meaning make it perennially attractive.