Boy nameCurrently #4,151 in the USFalling
Rufus
ROO-fus//ˈruːfəs//
2 syllablesPeak year: 19225 lettersStarts with R
Meaning & origin
Red-haired
Rufus comes directly from the Latin word for red, traditionally given as a nickname for someone with red hair, and was borne by King William II of England, known as William Rufus. Its distinctive, old-world sound has made it a quirky, well-loved modern choice.
Rufus's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Rufus |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 163 |
| 1881 | 121 |
| 1882 | 147 |
| 1883 | 125 |
| 1884 | 117 |
| 1885 | 118 |
| 1886 | 139 |
| 1887 | 119 |
| 1888 | 126 |
| 1889 | 108 |
| 1890 | 115 |
| 1891 | 107 |
| 1892 | 137 |
| 1893 | 139 |
| 1894 | 128 |
| 1895 | 135 |
| 1896 | 145 |
| 1897 | 124 |
| 1898 | 141 |
| 1899 | 127 |
| 1900 | 157 |
| 1901 | 121 |
| 1902 | 152 |
| 1903 | 134 |
| 1904 | 138 |
| 1905 | 157 |
| 1906 | 156 |
| 1907 | 175 |
| 1908 | 156 |
| 1909 | 206 |
| 1910 | 221 |
| 1911 | 230 |
| 1912 | 336 |
| 1913 | 416 |
| 1914 | 495 |
| 1915 | 595 |
| 1916 | 577 |
| 1917 | 646 |
| 1918 | 728 |
| 1919 | 682 |
| 1920 | 735 |
| 1921 | 721 |
| 1922 | 746 |
| 1923 | 678 |
| 1924 | 717 |
| 1925 | 683 |
| 1926 | 651 |
| 1927 | 697 |
| 1928 | 608 |
| 1929 | 571 |
| 1930 | 565 |
| 1931 | 488 |
| 1932 | 511 |
| 1933 | 477 |
| 1934 | 480 |
| 1935 | 460 |
| 1936 | 455 |
| 1937 | 479 |
| 1938 | 443 |
| 1939 | 430 |
| 1940 | 468 |
| 1941 | 457 |
| 1942 | 461 |
| 1943 | 483 |
| 1944 | 480 |
| 1945 | 411 |
| 1946 | 467 |
| 1947 | 489 |
| 1948 | 471 |
| 1949 | 504 |
| 1950 | 407 |
| 1951 | 450 |
| 1952 | 462 |
| 1953 | 449 |
| 1954 | 475 |
| 1955 | 412 |
| 1956 | 402 |
| 1957 | 415 |
| 1958 | 347 |
| 1959 | 358 |
| 1960 | 332 |
| 1961 | 335 |
| 1962 | 272 |
| 1963 | 301 |
| 1964 | 303 |
| 1965 | 233 |
| 1966 | 228 |
| 1967 | 232 |
| 1968 | 193 |
| 1969 | 206 |
| 1970 | 184 |
| 1971 | 196 |
| 1972 | 178 |
| 1973 | 164 |
| 1974 | 144 |
| 1975 | 147 |
| 1976 | 149 |
| 1977 | 142 |
| 1978 | 132 |
| 1979 | 134 |
| 1980 | 149 |
| 1981 | 139 |
| 1982 | 119 |
| 1983 | 120 |
| 1984 | 108 |
| 1985 | 125 |
| 1986 | 89 |
| 1987 | 97 |
| 1988 | 96 |
| 1989 | 78 |
| 1990 | 81 |
| 1991 | 78 |
| 1992 | 67 |
| 1993 | 55 |
| 1994 | 62 |
| 1995 | 44 |
| 1996 | 39 |
| 1997 | 47 |
| 1998 | 42 |
| 1999 | 43 |
| 2000 | 36 |
| 2001 | 34 |
| 2002 | 39 |
| 2003 | 28 |
| 2004 | 41 |
| 2005 | 34 |
| 2006 | 36 |
| 2007 | 29 |
| 2008 | 27 |
| 2009 | 24 |
| 2010 | 36 |
| 2011 | 40 |
| 2012 | 30 |
| 2013 | 44 |
| 2014 | 20 |
| 2015 | 43 |
| 2016 | 35 |
| 2017 | 36 |
| 2018 | 26 |
| 2019 | 30 |
| 2020 | 26 |
| 2021 | 25 |
| 2022 | 27 |
| 2023 | 19 |
| 2024 | 26 |
Rufus through the decades
- Rufus peaked in 1922, when 746 babies were named Rufus in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Rufus has fallen 8% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Rufus currently ranks #4,151 in the US and is cooling off.
Nicknames
Rufus
Variants & spellings
Rufio
Famous people named Rufus
- William Rufus — English king (nickname)