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#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201923peak #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 1923

  • 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: #373 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 6,354 boysILWisconsin: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedWIMichigan: #333 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 4,508 boysMINew York: #442 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 10,477 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: #308 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 4,313 boysINOhio: #350 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 5,797 boysOHPennsylvania: #431 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 11,045 boysPANew Jersey: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #500 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 6,759 boysCAUtah: 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: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedMOKentucky: #157 for boys · 26 births · 1 in 993 boysKYWest Virginia: #238 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 1,722 boysWVVirginia: #114 for boys · 38 births · 1 in 629 boysVAMaryland: #224 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 2,569 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: #301 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 3,257 boysKSArkansas: #125 for boys · 29 births · 1 in 610 boysARTennessee: #102 for boys · 41 births · 1 in 590 boysTNNorth Carolina: #92 for boys · 69 births · 1 in 484 boysNCSouth Carolina: #66 for boys · 56 births · 1 in 351 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #334 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 3,205 boysOKLouisiana: #122 for boys · 31 births · 1 in 615 boysLAMississippi: #100 for boys · 37 births · 1 in 507 boysMSAlabama: #81 for boys · 58 births · 1 in 440 boysALGeorgia: #49 for boys · 103 births · 1 in 274 boysGAHawaii: fewer than 5 boys named Rufus, so not publishedHITexas: #189 for boys · 52 births · 1 in 1,000 boysTXFlorida: #66 for boys · 31 births · 1 in 329 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Georgia#49 · 1 in 274
  2. Florida#66 · 1 in 329
  3. South Carolina#66 · 1 in 351
  4. Alabama#81 · 1 in 440
  5. North Carolina#92 · 1 in 484

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Georgia#491031 in 274
Florida#66311 in 329
South Carolina#66561 in 351
Alabama#81581 in 440
North Carolina#92691 in 484
Mississippi#100371 in 507
Tennessee#102411 in 590
Virginia#114381 in 629
Louisiana#122311 in 615
Arkansas#125291 in 610
Kentucky#157261 in 993
Texas#189521 in 1,000
Maryland#22451 in 2,569
West Virginia#238101 in 1,722
Kansas#30151 in 3,257
Indiana#30861 in 4,313
Michigan#33381 in 4,508
Oklahoma#33471 in 3,205
Ohio#35091 in 5,797
Illinois#37391 in 6,354
Pennsylvania#43181 in 11,045
New York#44291 in 10,477
California#50051 in 6,759
Alaska
Arizona
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Hawaii
Idaho
Iowa
Maine
Massachusetts
Minnesota
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
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
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 1923

boys
#199
678 births · 1 in 1,617 boys

Top boys' names in 1923

  1. #1John57,467
  2. #2Robert56,111
  3. #3William52,136
  4. #4James50,462
  5. #5Charles28,966
  6. #6George27,025
  7. #7Joseph25,561
  8. #8Edward20,597
  9. #9Richard18,887
  10. #10Donald16,433
  11. #199Rufus678
More about 1923

boys

1,096,102 boys got a published name in 1923; 1 in 1,617 of them was named Rufus, which outranked 95.9% of the 4,904 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 32.3% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Rufus
  1. #196Carroll700
  2. #197Isaac698
  3. #198Nick690
  4. #199Rufus678
  5. #200Alton676
  6. #201Julian673
  7. #202Lonnie670
Biggest movers since 1922
Risers
  1. 403Marcos#1,333#930
  2. 341Armin#1,333#992
  3. 309Betty#1,222#913
  4. 309Godfrey#1,222#913
  5. 308Val#1,181#873
Fallers
  1. 1,021Harden#999#2,020
  2. 472Buel#850#1,322
  3. 420Trinidad#485#905
  4. 304Gorden#722#1,026
  5. 288Joy#840#1,128

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

See the top 100 for 1923