Rufus
Latin, “red-haired”; a Roman byname that appears in the New Testament.
Popularity, 1880–2025
Rufus appears in the national records from the very first year, 1880. It has ranked among the top 100 names for American boys in 2 different years between 1880 and 1882. Its biggest year was 1922, when 737 newborn boys received the name, ranking it No. 188 nationally. Its best ranking came in 1880, at No. 88. All told, 36,225 Americans have been given the name since 1880.
Related names
Other spellings on record: Ruffus (674) (total births since 1880)
Explore Rufus interactively →By the decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 1,283 | No. 88 |
| 1890s | 1,298 | No. 117 |
| 1900s | 1,552 | No. 126 |
| 1910s | 4,901 | No. 145 |
| 1920s | 6,749 | No. 188 |
| 1930s | 4,777 | No. 225 |
| 1940s | 4,667 | No. 257 |
| 1950s | 4,155 | No. 325 |
| 1960s | 2,625 | No. 441 |
| 1970s | 1,570 | No. 587 |
| 1980s | 1,120 | No. 712 |
| 1990s | 558 | No. 1216 |
| 2000s | 328 | No. 2504 |
| 2010s | 340 | No. 2668 |
| 2020s | 151 | No. 3879 |
Births and rank shown for boys, the sex more often given the name. The Social Security Administration omits name–year combinations with fewer than five births.
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Data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby-name file, 1880–2025.