Rufus

Rufus - A very unique male name

Rufus appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #144. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Rufus and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Rufus? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Rufus. The baby boy name Rufus was given to 5 baby boys in 2025, ranking #4253 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 293,257 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Rufus peaked in popularity 115 years ago in 1911 on position 142.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Rufus, 1-5?

Rufus is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Rufus is currently topping the baby name charts in Washington at position #1,125 - and is the least popular in Washington at position #1,125.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Rufus is where you live.

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Rufus origin and meaning

Latin — Roman cognomen

From Latin rufus, 'red, red-haired'

Rufus was a Roman family name given to red-haired men, borne in the New Testament by a son of Simon of Cyrene. In America it peaked in 1922 and, after dropping out by 2020, returned with a handful of births in 2025 in vintage-revival spirit.

Attested etymology

Rufus is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Rufus, pop culture references for the name Rufus and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Rufus

We've found the following names that sound similar to Rufus, sorted by popularity.

Refugio / Rebecca / Refujio / Rafiq / Reeves / Ruffus /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Rufus

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Rufus a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Rufus?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

ROO-fuss · /ˈruːfəs/

Around the world

• Rufo (Spanish) — The Spanish and Portuguese form of the same Latin name.

Famous bearers

• Rufus — A figure in the New Testament, greeted by Paul in Romans and linked by tradition to Simon of Cyrene's family (Biblical) Historical
• Rufus Wainwright — Singer-songwriter known for albums including Want One and his Judy Garland tribute concerts (b. 1973) Contemporary

Style

BiblicalClassicVintage revival

Why parents choose it

Rufus has a warm, bookish, slightly rumpled charm that fits the current taste for reviving great-grandfather names.

Worth knowing

• Long associated in some minds with dogs' names, and its red-haired meaning may or may not match the child.