Rufus

Last seen for girls in 1965 at #6,539 · #3,949 for boys in 2025, 27 births
Given to boys 99.6% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
1880 · 163 births
Debut · boys
163 births
In top 100 · boys
2 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · boys
36,074
since 1880

Rufus over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201927peak #88, 1880boys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025—#3,94927
2024—#4,07226
2023—#5,07519
2022—#3,87928
2021—#4,11825
2020—#3,91826
2019—#3,63630
2018—#3,99326
2017—#3,19336
2016—#3,23035
2015—#2,76643
2014—#4,70220
2013—#2,66844
2012—#3,53030
2011—#2,90440
2010—#3,12836
2009—#4,16024
2008—#3,82327
2007—#3,59129
2006—#3,02436
2005—#3,02234
2004—#2,59941
2003—#3,28028
2002—#2,50439
2001—#2,74234
2000—#2,57836
1999—#2,16243
1998—#2,15742
1997—#1,93347
1996—#2,14539
1995—#1,91444
1994—#1,51662
1993—#1,62055
1992—#1,38267
1991—#1,26478
1990—#1,21681
1989—#1,21478
1988—#98796
1987—#95497
1986—#97189
1985—#795125
1984—#843108
1983—#800120
1982—#809119
1981—#735139
1980—#712149
1979—#747134
1978—#732132
1977—#714142
1976—#674149
1975—#678147
1974—#677144
1973—#616164
1972—#599178
1971—#587196
1970—#596184
1969—#546206
1968—#544193
1967—#492232
1966—#501228
1965#6,5395#505228
1964—#455303
1963—#456301
1962—#481272
1961#6,5675#441330
1960—#441332
1959—#418358
1958—#423347
1957#6,0865#380410
1956—#368402
1955#5,2086#358406
1954—#332475
1953—#332449
1952#4,9086#325456
1951#5,4145#325445
1950—#334407
1949#4,6736#303498
1948#5,2435#313466
1947—#315489
1946—#300467
1945—#296412
1944—#271479
1943—#278483
1942#4,6225#281456
1941—#260457
1940#3,2088#257460
1939—#260430
1938—#261443
1937—#241479
1936#3,7016#248449
1935—#250461
1934—#238480
1933—#238477
1932—#236511
1931#3,8486#239482
1930—#225565
1929#4,5705#225566
1928#4,1956#218602
1927#3,8757#204690
1926#3,04610#214641
1925#4,0287#207676
1924#3,6658#197709
1923—#199678
1922#3,3799#188737
1921—#191721
1920#4,3986#188729
1919#4,8145#190677
1918#3,8697#183721
1917—#187646
1916—#197577
1915#3,4347#188588
1914—#178495
1913#2,8276#169410
1912—#175336
1911—#146230
1910—#145221
1909—#131206
1908—#151156
1907—#137175
1906—#132156
1905—#138157
1904—#143138
1903—#139134
1902—#126152
1901—#137121
1900—#140157
1899—#125127
1898—#131141
1897—#131124
1896—#120145
1895—#124135
1894—#123128
1893—#117139
1892—#123137
1891—#128107
1890—#126115
1889—#132108
1888—#125126
1887—#113119
1886—#112139
1885—#116118
1884—#123117
1883—#105125
1882—#98147
1881—#104121
1880—#88163
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Rufus was already there! It came in at #88, and was given to 163 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 2020–2025, when fewer than 29 boys a year got the name.

Where Rufus is popular in 1927

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedNHWashington: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedWAIdaho: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedIDMontana: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedNDMinnesota: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedMNIllinois: #466 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 9,839 boysILWisconsin: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedWIMichigan: #376 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 5,995 boysMINew York: #611 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 19,606 boysNYMassachusetts: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedRIOregon: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedORNevada: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedSDIowa: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedIAIndiana: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedINOhio: #340 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 5,883 boysOHPennsylvania: #440 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 11,005 boysPANew Jersey: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedNJConnecticut: #184 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 2,388 boysCTCalifornia: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedCAUtah: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedUTColorado: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedCONebraska: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedNEMissouri: #340 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 4,157 boysMOKentucky: #164 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 1,109 boysKYWest Virginia: #189 for boys · 15 births · 1 in 1,219 boysWVVirginia: #107 for boys · 38 births · 1 in 608 boysVAMaryland: #180 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 1,806 boysMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedDEArizona: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedNMKansas: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedKSArkansas: #117 for boys · 31 births · 1 in 582 boysARTennessee: #138 for boys · 28 births · 1 in 894 boysTNNorth Carolina: #99 for boys · 69 births · 1 in 509 boysNCSouth Carolina: #63 for boys · 58 births · 1 in 317 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #175 for boys · 21 births · 1 in 1,094 boysOKLouisiana: #150 for boys · 27 births · 1 in 753 boysLAMississippi: #79 for boys · 52 births · 1 in 397 boysMSAlabama: #75 for boys · 72 births · 1 in 393 boysALGeorgia: #63 for boys · 92 births · 1 in 310 boysGAHawaii: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedHITexas: #201 for boys · 55 births · 1 in 1,035 boysTXFlorida: #101 for boys · 28 births · 1 in 521 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Georgia#63 · 1 in 310
  2. South Carolina#63 · 1 in 317
  3. Alabama#75 · 1 in 393
  4. Mississippi#79 · 1 in 397
  5. North Carolina#99 · 1 in 509

Best ever in a state: #43 in Alabama, 1910.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Georgia#63921 in 310
South Carolina#63581 in 317
Alabama#75721 in 393
Mississippi#79521 in 397
North Carolina#99691 in 509
Florida#101281 in 521
Virginia#107381 in 608
Arkansas#117311 in 582
Tennessee#138281 in 894
Louisiana#150271 in 753
Kentucky#164241 in 1,109
Oklahoma#175211 in 1,094
Maryland#18071 in 1,806
Connecticut#18451 in 2,388
West Virginia#189151 in 1,219
Texas#201551 in 1,035
Missouri#34071 in 4,157
Ohio#34091 in 5,883
Michigan#37671 in 5,995
Pennsylvania#44081 in 11,005
Illinois#46661 in 9,839
New York#61151 in 19,606
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Hawaii———
Idaho———
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Kansas———
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Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Rufus
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
  • 123 spots since 2024 (#4,072 → #3,949)
  • 31 spots since 2020 (#3,918 → #3,949)
  • 1,183 spots since 2015 (#2,766 → #3,949)
  • Biggest jump: 48 spots in 1985 (#843 → #795)
  • Biggest drop: 227 spots in 1989 (#987 → #1,214)
Rise & fade · boys
Peaked on debut
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1880 at #88 (163 births)
  • Births halved by 1989, 109 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 100 for 2 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 2 yrs · 1880–1882
  • Top 1,000: 109 yrs · run 1880–1988
Share of babies · boys
1 in 678
  • Highest: 1 in 678 boys born in 1880 were named Rufus (0.15%)
  • Latest: 1 in 63,262 boys born in 2025 (0.00%)
Era · boys
The 1920s
  • 18.7% of all boys named Rufus (6,749) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s1,283#88 (1880)#112
1890s1,298#117 (1893)#125
1900s1,552#126 (1902)#137
1910s4,901#145 (1910)#176
1920s6,749#188 (1922)#203
1930s4,777#225 (1930)#244
1940s4,667#257 (1940)#287
1950s4,155#325 (1952)#360
1960s2,625#441 (1960)#486
1970s1,570#587 (1971)#662
1980s1,120#712 (1980)#882
1990s558#1,216 (1990)#1,731
2000s328#2,504 (2002)#3,132
2010s340#2,668 (2013)#3,375
2020s151#3,879 (2022)#4,169

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Rufus in 1927

girls
#3,875
7 births · 1 in 170,347 girls
boys
#204
690 births · 1 in 1,633 boys

Top girls' names in 1927

  1. #1Mary70,642
  2. #2Dorothy35,993
  3. #3Betty35,424
  4. #4Helen25,316
  5. #5Margaret21,964
  6. #6Ruth19,412
  7. #7Doris16,512
  8. #8Virginia15,734
  9. #9Shirley13,314
  10. #10Barbara13,161
  11. #3,875Rufus7

Top boys' names in 1927

  1. #1Robert61,674
  2. #2John55,949
  3. #3James53,674
  4. #4William51,476
  5. #5Charles31,941
  6. #6Richard26,768
  7. #7George25,949
  8. #8Donald23,834
  9. #9Joseph23,503
  10. #10Edward19,115
  11. #204Rufus690
More about 1927

girls

1,192,431 girls got a published name in 1927; 1 in 170,347 of them was named Rufus, which outranked 30.8% of the 5,602 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 22.4% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Rufus
  1. #3,561Zenia8
  2. #3,561Zera8
  3. #3,561Zilphia8
  4. #3,875Rufus7
  5. #3,875Adrianne7
  6. #3,875Agusta7
  7. #3,875Alan7
  8. #4,286Aaron6
  9. #4,286Adalee6
  10. #4,286Adalene6

Tied with 410 names at #3,875; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1926
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,708Charmaine#3,564 → #856
  2. ↑ 1,519Kazuko#2,474 → #955
  3. ↑ 1,152Valencia#2,076 → #924
  4. ↑ 551Cherie#1,414 → #863
  5. ↑ 452Lita#1,148 → #696
Fallers
  1. ↓ 349Janell#748 → #1,097
  2. ↓ 330Sabina#931 → #1,261
  3. ↓ 319Clarine#942 → #1,261
  4. ↓ 298Shirlie#980 → #1,278
  5. ↓ 291Delilah#836 → #1,127

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,126,915 boys got a published name in 1927; 1 in 1,633 of them was named Rufus, which outranked 95.8% of the 4,802 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.2% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Rufus
  1. #201Antonio700
  2. #202Carroll694
  3. #203Isaac693
  4. #204Rufus690
  5. #205Elbert677
  6. #206Nelson673
  7. #207Irvin669
Biggest movers since 1926
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,863Lindbergh#2,436 → #573
  2. ↑ 966Lindy#1,353 → #387
  3. ↑ 601Sonny#1,565 → #964
  4. ↑ 467Akira#1,404 → #937
  5. ↑ 442Maria#1,432 → #990
Fallers
  1. ↓ 684Minoru#963 → #1,647
  2. ↓ 611Reno#825 → #1,436
  3. ↓ 406Hurley#916 → #1,322
  4. ↓ 356Adelbert#842 → #1,198
  5. ↓ 330Gardner#963 → #1,293

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1927 →