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#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201915peak #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 1915

  • 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: #377 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 5,943 boysILWisconsin: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedWIMichigan: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedMINew York: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedNYMassachusetts: 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: #240 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 2,502 boysINOhio: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedOHPennsylvania: #380 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 8,034 boysPANew Jersey: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedCTCalifornia: 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: #273 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 2,371 boysMOKentucky: #145 for boys · 21 births · 1 in 893 boysKYWest Virginia: #236 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 1,589 boysWVVirginia: #109 for boys · 31 births · 1 in 582 boysVAMaryland: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedMDDelaware: 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: #126 for boys · 23 births · 1 in 565 boysARTennessee: #127 for boys · 23 births · 1 in 765 boysTNNorth Carolina: #78 for boys · 56 births · 1 in 422 boysNCSouth Carolina: #61 for boys · 43 births · 1 in 351 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #160 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 842 boysOKLouisiana: #109 for boys · 29 births · 1 in 484 boysLAMississippi: #83 for boys · 38 births · 1 in 397 boysMSAlabama: #61 for boys · 61 births · 1 in 321 boysALGeorgia: #50 for boys · 101 births · 1 in 244 boysGAHawaii: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedHITexas: #158 for boys · 46 births · 1 in 805 boysTXFlorida: #61 for boys · 26 births · 1 in 287 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Georgia#50 · 1 in 244
  2. Florida#61 · 1 in 287
  3. Alabama#61 · 1 in 321
  4. South Carolina#61 · 1 in 351
  5. North Carolina#78 · 1 in 422

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Georgia#501011 in 244
Alabama#61611 in 321
Florida#61261 in 287
South Carolina#61431 in 351
North Carolina#78561 in 422
Mississippi#83381 in 397
Louisiana#109291 in 484
Virginia#109311 in 582
Arkansas#126231 in 565
Tennessee#127231 in 765
Kentucky#145211 in 893
Texas#158461 in 805
Oklahoma#160181 in 842
West Virginia#23671 in 1,589
Indiana#24081 in 2,502
Missouri#273101 in 2,371
Illinois#37781 in 5,943
Pennsylvania#38091 in 8,034
Alaska
Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Hawaii
Idaho
Iowa
Kansas
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Dakota
Ohio
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
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 1915

girls
#3,434
7 births · 1 in 140,550 girls
boys
#188
588 births · 1 in 1,443 boys

Top girls' names in 1915

  1. #1Mary58,187
  2. #2Helen30,866
  3. #3Dorothy25,154
  4. #4Margaret23,054
  5. #5Ruth21,878
  6. #6Mildred15,254
  7. #7Anna15,119
  8. #8Elizabeth14,103
  9. #9Frances12,786
  10. #10Evelyn11,595
  11. #3,434Rufus7

Top boys' names in 1915

  1. #1John47,576
  2. #2William38,563
  3. #3James33,773
  4. #4Robert28,737
  5. #5Joseph23,051
  6. #6George22,307
  7. #7Charles21,960
  8. #8Edward15,889
  9. #9Frank15,006
  10. #10Thomas11,490
  11. #188Rufus588
More about 1915

girls

983,852 girls got a published name in 1915; 1 in 140,550 of them was named Rufus, which outranked 30.9% of the 4,967 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.2% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Rufus
  1. #3,134Zaida8
  2. #3,134Zilphia8
  3. #3,134Zylpha8
  4. #3,434Rufus7
  5. #3,434Adelyne7
  6. #3,434Albertia7
  7. #3,434Alexine7
  8. #3,795Alberteen6
  9. #3,795Aldie6
  10. #3,795Aleine6

Tied with 360 names at #3,434; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1914
Risers
  1. 500Gerda#1,444#944
  2. 451Theda#1,034#583
  3. 441Dominga#1,385#944
  4. 354Vernon#1,344#990
  5. 308Loyce#1,147#839
Fallers
  1. 383Drusilla#956#1,339
  2. 342Rossie#798#1,140
  3. 335Arlie#855#1,190
  4. 329Orene#956#1,285
  5. 329Margot#988#1,317

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

boys

848,575 boys got a published name in 1915; 1 in 1,443 of them was named Rufus, which outranked 95.7% of the 4,390 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 30.4% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Rufus
  1. #185Leland597
  2. #186Merle595
  3. #187Emmett592
  4. #188Rufus588
  5. #189Felix583
  6. #190Ervin582
  7. #191Julian579
Biggest movers since 1914
Risers
  1. 691Eston#1,687#996
  2. 565Estill#1,545#980
  3. 545Garth#1,260#715
  4. 474Hiroshi#1,342#868
  5. 439Domingo#1,101#662
Fallers
  1. 674Gilmore#986#1,660
  2. 667Barnett#933#1,600
  3. 526Rose#884#1,410
  4. 517Toivo#855#1,372
  5. 461Sampson#949#1,410

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

See the top 100 for 1915