boy's name
Rufus
ROO-fus
- Origin Latin
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 40,142
Scotland
#449
2022 births
Rufus means red-haired, and it named a king by his complexion — William II of England was called Rufus for his ruddy face, and he died with an arrow in him in the New Forest.
- Rufus is a name of Latin origin.
- Peaked in 1922, when 746 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 122,805 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Rufus over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 1,283 |
| 1890s | 1,298 |
| 1900s | 1,552 |
| 1910s | 4,926 |
| 1920s | 6,807 |
| 1930s | 4,789 |
| 1940s | 4,691 |
| 1950s | 4,177 |
| 1960s | 2,635 |
| 1970s | 1,570 |
| 1980s | 1,120 |
| 1990s | 558 |
| 2000s | 328 |
| 2010s | 340 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 151 |
What Rufus means
Rufus means red, red-haired or ruddy. The Latin describes coloring directly, so it began as a plain physical byname rather than a family name, and it is one of the most transparent Roman names there is.
Where Rufus comes from
Rufus is the Latin rufus, red — used as a cognomen for the red-haired or ruddy-complexioned, and one of the most transparent Roman names there is. William II, the Conqueror's son, was known as William Rufus for his coloring; he was killed by an arrow while hunting in the New Forest in 1100, and whether it was an accident has been argued ever since. Reid, elsewhere on this site, is the same observation in Scots.
Rufus in use
Rufus peaked in the United States in 1922, when 746 babies were registered, and our data marks it stable rather than falling. It now ranks 495th in England and Wales on 78 births and 3998th in the United States on 27, across 40,142 lifetime births in three of the seven markets we track. England and Wales ran its own peak of 218 births in 2012 and ranks it more than eight times higher than America does.
How popular is Rufus?
In 2025, Rufus was given to 27 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Rufus is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Rufus
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Rufus also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Rufus over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Rufus in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Rufus
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Rufus — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Rufus
What does the name Rufus mean?
Red-haired or ruddy — the Latin rufus.
Who was William Rufus?
William II of England, named for his coloring, killed by an arrow in the New Forest in 1100.
Is Reid related?
Not in origin, but it is the same observation made in Scots.
Where is Rufus strongest?
England and Wales at 495th, more than eight times higher than the United States.
How popular is the name Rufus?
In 2025, Rufus was given to 27 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Is Rufus a girl's or a boy's name?
Rufus is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Rufus?
Rufus has 2 syllables.
When was Rufus most popular?
Rufus peaked in 1922, when 746 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
Is Rufus a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Rufus currently ranks #495 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.