Rufus
How to say it: ROO-fus · /ˈrufəs/
Latin 'rufus' meaning 'red-haired' - ancient Roman cognomen borne by saints and kings.
Rufus was the 3,189th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 27 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1880s, its births are down about 33% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #3,298 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #3,189 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 27 |
| Share of births | 1 in 122,790 |
| Peak decade | 1880s |
| Change over 10 years | −33% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #3,298 |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Rufus peaked in the 1880s and is less common today.
What goes with it
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Rufus is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, German, Norwegian, Swedish.
England and Wales: #496.
Famous people named Rufus
- Rufus Wainwright (born 1973)American-Canadian singer-songwriter and composer
- Rufus Sewell (born 1967)English actor
- Rufus King (1755–1827)American Founding Father
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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