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
- Peak · boys
- 1880 · 163 births
- Debut · boys
- 163 births
- In top 100 · boys
- 2 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · boys
- 36,074since 1880
Rufus over time
Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | — | #3,949 | 27 | |
| 2024 | — | #4,072 | 26 | |
| 2023 | — | #5,075 | 19 | |
| 2022 | — | #3,879 | 28 | |
| 2021 | — | #4,118 | 25 | |
| 2020 | — | #3,918 | 26 | |
| 2019 | — | #3,636 | 30 | |
| 2018 | — | #3,993 | 26 | |
| 2017 | — | #3,193 | 36 | |
| 2016 | — | #3,230 | 35 | |
| 2015 | — | #2,766 | 43 | |
| 2014 | — | #4,702 | 20 | |
| 2013 | — | #2,668 | 44 | |
| 2012 | — | #3,530 | 30 | |
| 2011 | — | #2,904 | 40 | |
| 2010 | — | #3,128 | 36 | |
| 2009 | — | #4,160 | 24 | |
| 2008 | — | #3,823 | 27 | |
| 2007 | — | #3,591 | 29 | |
| 2006 | — | #3,024 | 36 | |
| 2005 | — | #3,022 | 34 | |
| 2004 | — | #2,599 | 41 | |
| 2003 | — | #3,280 | 28 | |
| 2002 | — | #2,504 | 39 | |
| 2001 | — | #2,742 | 34 | |
| 2000 | — | #2,578 | 36 | |
| 1999 | — | #2,162 | 43 | |
| 1998 | — | #2,157 | 42 | |
| 1997 | — | #1,933 | 47 | |
| 1996 | — | #2,145 | 39 | |
| 1995 | — | #1,914 | 44 | |
| 1994 | — | #1,516 | 62 | |
| 1993 | — | #1,620 | 55 | |
| 1992 | — | #1,382 | 67 | |
| 1991 | — | #1,264 | 78 | |
| 1990 | — | #1,216 | 81 | |
| 1989 | — | #1,214 | 78 | |
| 1988 | — | #987 | 96 | |
| 1987 | — | #954 | 97 | |
| 1986 | — | #971 | 89 | |
| 1985 | — | #795 | 125 | |
| 1984 | — | #843 | 108 | |
| 1983 | — | #800 | 120 | |
| 1982 | — | #809 | 119 | |
| 1981 | — | #735 | 139 | |
| 1980 | — | #712 | 149 | |
| 1979 | — | #747 | 134 | |
| 1978 | — | #732 | 132 | |
| 1977 | — | #714 | 142 | |
| 1976 | — | #674 | 149 | |
| 1975 | — | #678 | 147 | |
| 1974 | — | #677 | 144 | |
| 1973 | — | #616 | 164 | |
| 1972 | — | #599 | 178 | |
| 1971 | — | #587 | 196 | |
| 1970 | — | #596 | 184 | |
| 1969 | — | #546 | 206 | |
| 1968 | — | #544 | 193 | |
| 1967 | — | #492 | 232 | |
| 1966 | — | #501 | 228 | |
| 1965 | #6,539 | 5 | #505 | 228 |
| 1964 | — | #455 | 303 | |
| 1963 | — | #456 | 301 | |
| 1962 | — | #481 | 272 | |
| 1961 | #6,567 | 5 | #441 | 330 |
| 1960 | — | #441 | 332 | |
| 1959 | — | #418 | 358 | |
| 1958 | — | #423 | 347 | |
| 1957 | #6,086 | 5 | #380 | 410 |
| 1956 | — | #368 | 402 | |
| 1955 | #5,208 | 6 | #358 | 406 |
| 1954 | — | #332 | 475 | |
| 1953 | — | #332 | 449 | |
| 1952 | #4,908 | 6 | #325 | 456 |
| 1951 | #5,414 | 5 | #325 | 445 |
| 1950 | — | #334 | 407 | |
| 1949 | #4,673 | 6 | #303 | 498 |
| 1948 | #5,243 | 5 | #313 | 466 |
| 1947 | — | #315 | 489 | |
| 1946 | — | #300 | 467 | |
| 1945 | — | #296 | 412 | |
| 1944 | — | #271 | 479 | |
| 1943 | — | #278 | 483 | |
| 1942 | #4,622 | 5 | #281 | 456 |
| 1941 | — | #260 | 457 | |
| 1940 | #3,208 | 8 | #257 | 460 |
| 1939 | — | #260 | 430 | |
| 1938 | — | #261 | 443 | |
| 1937 | — | #241 | 479 | |
| 1936 | #3,701 | 6 | #248 | 449 |
| 1935 | — | #250 | 461 | |
| 1934 | — | #238 | 480 | |
| 1933 | — | #238 | 477 | |
| 1932 | — | #236 | 511 | |
| 1931 | #3,848 | 6 | #239 | 482 |
| 1930 | — | #225 | 565 | |
| 1929 | #4,570 | 5 | #225 | 566 |
| 1928 | #4,195 | 6 | #218 | 602 |
| 1927 | #3,875 | 7 | #204 | 690 |
| 1926 | #3,046 | 10 | #214 | 641 |
| 1925 | #4,028 | 7 | #207 | 676 |
| 1924 | #3,665 | 8 | #197 | 709 |
| 1923 | — | #199 | 678 | |
| 1922 | #3,379 | 9 | #188 | 737 |
| 1921 | — | #191 | 721 | |
| 1920 | #4,398 | 6 | #188 | 729 |
| 1919 | #4,814 | 5 | #190 | 677 |
| 1918 | #3,869 | 7 | #183 | 721 |
| 1917 | — | #187 | 646 | |
| 1916 | — | #197 | 577 | |
| 1915 | #3,434 | 7 | #188 | 588 |
| 1914 | — | #178 | 495 | |
| 1913 | #2,827 | 6 | #169 | 410 |
| 1912 | — | #175 | 336 | |
| 1911 | — | #146 | 230 | |
| 1910 | — | #145 | 221 | |
| 1909 | — | #131 | 206 | |
| 1908 | — | #151 | 156 | |
| 1907 | — | #137 | 175 | |
| 1906 | — | #132 | 156 | |
| 1905 | — | #138 | 157 | |
| 1904 | — | #143 | 138 | |
| 1903 | — | #139 | 134 | |
| 1902 | — | #126 | 152 | |
| 1901 | — | #137 | 121 | |
| 1900 | — | #140 | 157 | |
| 1899 | — | #125 | 127 | |
| 1898 | — | #131 | 141 | |
| 1897 | — | #131 | 124 | |
| 1896 | — | #120 | 145 | |
| 1895 | — | #124 | 135 | |
| 1894 | — | #123 | 128 | |
| 1893 | — | #117 | 139 | |
| 1892 | — | #123 | 137 | |
| 1891 | — | #128 | 107 | |
| 1890 | — | #126 | 115 | |
| 1889 | — | #132 | 108 | |
| 1888 | — | #125 | 126 | |
| 1887 | — | #113 | 119 | |
| 1886 | — | #112 | 139 | |
| 1885 | — | #116 | 118 | |
| 1884 | — | #123 | 117 | |
| 1883 | — | #105 | 125 | |
| 1882 | — | #98 | 147 | |
| 1881 | — | #104 | 121 | |
| 1880 | — | #88 | 163 | |
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 1931
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
- South Carolina#81 · 1 in 432
- North Carolina#93 · 1 in 487
- Alabama#94 · 1 in 496
- Mississippi#97 · 1 in 477
- Georgia#100 · 1 in 515
Best ever in a state: #43 in Alabama, 1910.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | #81 | 38 | 1 in 432 |
| North Carolina | #93 | 65 | 1 in 487 |
| Alabama | #94 | 52 | 1 in 496 |
| Mississippi | #97 | 38 | 1 in 477 |
| Georgia | #100 | 53 | 1 in 515 |
| Virginia | #109 | 37 | 1 in 570 |
| Tennessee | #139 | 26 | 1 in 936 |
| Florida | #168 | 12 | 1 in 937 |
| Arkansas | #173 | 15 | 1 in 1,093 |
| West Virginia | #192 | 12 | 1 in 1,350 |
| Kentucky | #195 | 17 | 1 in 1,455 |
| Louisiana | #195 | 17 | 1 in 1,084 |
| Texas | #264 | 33 | 1 in 1,673 |
| Oklahoma | #267 | 9 | 1 in 2,405 |
| Ohio | #334 | 8 | 1 in 5,998 |
| Illinois | #370 | 8 | 1 in 6,739 |
| Pennsylvania | #459 | 6 | 1 in 12,744 |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arizona | — | — | — |
| California | — | — | — |
| Colorado | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Indiana | — | — | — |
| Iowa | — | — | — |
| Kansas | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Maryland | — | — | — |
| Massachusetts | — | — | — |
| Michigan | — | — | — |
| Minnesota | — | — | — |
| Missouri | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nebraska | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| New Jersey | — | — | — |
| New Mexico | — | — | — |
| New York | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Oregon | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Utah | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| Washington | — | — | — |
| Wisconsin | — | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | — |
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
- 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)
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 1880 at #88 (163 births)
- Births halved by 1989, 109 yrs later
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: 2 yrs · 1880–1882
- Top 1,000: 109 yrs · run 1880–1988
- Highest: 1 in 678 boys born in 1880 were named Rufus (0.15%)
- Latest: 1 in 63,262 boys born in 2025 (0.00%)
- 18.7% of all boys named Rufus (6,749) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 1,283 | #88 (1880) | #112 |
| 1890s | 1,298 | #117 (1893) | #125 |
| 1900s | 1,552 | #126 (1902) | #137 |
| 1910s | 4,901 | #145 (1910) | #176 |
| 1920s | 6,749 | #188 (1922) | #203 |
| 1930s | 4,777 | #225 (1930) | #244 |
| 1940s | 4,667 | #257 (1940) | #287 |
| 1950s | 4,155 | #325 (1952) | #360 |
| 1960s | 2,625 | #441 (1960) | #486 |
| 1970s | 1,570 | #587 (1971) | #662 |
| 1980s | 1,120 | #712 (1980) | #882 |
| 1990s | 558 | #1,216 (1990) | #1,731 |
| 2000s | 328 | #2,504 (2002) | #3,132 |
| 2010s | 340 | #2,668 (2013) | #3,375 |
| 2020s | 151 | #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 1931
Top girls' names in 1931
Top boys' names in 1931
More about 1931
girls
1,064,728 girls got a published name in 1931; 1 in 177,455 of them was named Rufus, which outranked 22.7% of the 4,979 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 22.9% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
- #3,497Yolonda7
- #3,497Zela7
- #3,497Zenora7
- #3,848Rufus6
- #3,848Adabelle6
- #3,848Adair6
- #3,848Addis6
- #4,331Adalene5
- #4,331Adean5
- #4,331Adelma5
Tied with 482 names at #3,848; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
1,039,665 boys got a published name in 1931; 1 in 2,157 of them was named Rufus, which outranked 94.5% of the 4,321 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.8% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.