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
- 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
boys
Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.
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
| 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 | |
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 1939
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
Top states · boys
- South Carolina#86 · 1 in 434
- Georgia#89 · 1 in 443
- Alabama#106 · 1 in 570
- Mississippi#119 · 1 in 681
- Virginia#140 · 1 in 826
Best ever in a state: #43 in Alabama, 1910.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | #86 | 47 | 1 in 434 |
| Georgia | #89 | 69 | 1 in 443 |
| Alabama | #106 | 49 | 1 in 570 |
| Mississippi | #119 | 31 | 1 in 681 |
| Virginia | #140 | 28 | 1 in 826 |
| North Carolina | #144 | 43 | 1 in 841 |
| Florida | #196 | 11 | 1 in 1,305 |
| Tennessee | #198 | 18 | 1 in 1,503 |
| Maryland | #207 | 5 | 1 in 2,493 |
| Arkansas | #216 | 12 | 1 in 1,510 |
| Kentucky | #217 | 15 | 1 in 1,821 |
| Louisiana | #226 | 15 | 1 in 1,445 |
| Missouri | #282 | 8 | 1 in 3,493 |
| Texas | #291 | 28 | 1 in 2,102 |
| West Virginia | #302 | 6 | 1 in 3,163 |
| Pennsylvania | #384 | 8 | 1 in 9,235 |
| Illinois | #394 | 7 | 1 in 7,897 |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arizona | — | — | — |
| California | — | — | — |
| Colorado | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Indiana | — | — | — |
| Iowa | — | — | — |
| Kansas | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Massachusetts | — | — | — |
| Michigan | — | — | — |
| Minnesota | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nebraska | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| New Jersey | — | — | — |
| New Mexico | — | — | — |
| New York | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Ohio | — | — | — |
| Oklahoma | — | — | — |
| 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
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
| 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 1939
boys
#260
430 births · 1 in 2,574 boys
Top boys' names in 1939
More about 1939
boys
1,106,852 boys got a published name in 1939; 1 in 2,574 of them was named Rufus, which outranked 93.4% of the 3,968 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.4% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
Ranked beside Rufus
Biggest movers since 1938
Risers
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.