Nameling

Rufus

Gender
Boy
Say it
ROO-fus
Origin
Latin
UK rank, 2025
#546 for boys
US rank, 2025
#3,948 for boys

Rufus is a boys' name of Latin origin, meaning “red-haired”. In 2025 it ranked 546th for boys in the UK (78 babies) and 3,948th for boys in the US (27 babies).

What does Rufus mean?

Latin

“red-haired”

Latin for red-haired; William II of England was nicknamed Rufus, probably for his ruddy complexion.

More on Wiktionary.

Is Rufus a girl's or a boy's name?

Rufus is a boys' name. In 2025, it was given to 78 boys in the UK and 27 boys in the US. Too few girls were given it to be listed.

How popular is Rufus in the UK?

Rank in 2025
#546among boys
Babies in 2025
78about 1 in 3,800 boys
Five-year trend
Fallingdown 45% in five years
Same name in a class
under 1%chance among 15 boys

In 2025, 78 boys in the UK were named Rufus, making it the 546th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 338th. Its busiest year was 2012, with 224 boys.

It has been given to fewer boys each year for the last 8 years. 2025 had fewer boys named Rufus than any year since 2004.

Half of all the boys named Rufus in the UK since 1996 were born between 2009 and 2018, the years shaded on the chart below.

Among boys in 2025, it was 494th in England and Wales.

1996Busiest: 224 in 20122025
Rufus in the UK, year by year
YearBoysRank
202578#546
202495#470
2023111#407
2022116#407
2021144#354
2020149#338
2019166#325
2018198#286
2017215#275
2016207#284
2015216#266
2014197#279
2013223#253
2012224#250
2011202#264
2010199#264
2009175#284
2008162#289
2007149#293
2006122#316
200596#360
200473#421
200352#516
200246#522
200145#511
200038#570
199935#596
199836#569
199727#671
199632#575

How popular is Rufus in the US?

Rank in 2025
#3,948among boys
Babies in 2025
27about 1 in 63,000 boys
Five-year trend
Steadydown 12% in five years
Same name in a class
under 1%chance among 15 boys

In 2025, 27 boys in the US were named Rufus, making it the 3,948th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 3,915th. Its busiest year was 1922, with 737 boys.

Half of all the boys named Rufus in the US since 1880 were born between 1919 and 1954, the years shaded on the chart below.

1880Busiest: 737 in 19222025
Rufus in the US, year by year
YearBoysRank
202527#3,948
202426#4,069
202319#5,070
202228#3,876
202125#4,114
202026#3,915
201930#3,633
201826#3,989
201736#3,192
201635#3,229
201543#2,765
201420#4,698
201344#2,666
201230#3,527
201140#2,903
201036#3,127
200924#4,158
200827#3,820
200729#3,589
200636#3,023
200534#3,018
200441#2,595
200328#3,275
200239#2,500
200134#2,737
200036#2,573
199943#2,159
199842#2,154
199747#1,930
199639#2,140
199544#1,909
199462#1,511
199355#1,615
199267#1,377
199178#1,258
199081#1,211
198978#1,210
198896#986
198797#953
198689#970
1985125#795
1984108#843
1983120#800
1982119#809
1981139#735
1980149#712
1979134#747
1978132#732
1977142#714
1976149#674
1975147#678
1974144#677
1973164#616
1972178#599
1971196#587
1970184#596
1969206#546
1968193#544
1967232#492
1966228#501
1965228#505
1964303#455
1963301#456
1962272#481
1961330#441
1960332#441
1959358#418
1958347#423
1957410#380
1956402#367
1955406#357
1954475#331
1953449#331
1952456#324
1951445#325
1950407#334
1949498#303
1948466#313
1947489#315
1946467#300
1945412#296
1944479#271
1943483#278
1942456#281
1941457#260
1940460#257
1939430#260
1938443#261
1937479#241
1936449#248
1935461#250
1934480#238
1933477#238
1932511#236
1931482#239
1930565#225
1929566#225
1928602#218
1927690#204
1926641#214
1925676#207
1924709#197
1923678#199
1922737#188
1921721#191
1920729#188
1919677#190
1918721#183
1917646#187
1916577#197
1915588#188
1914495#178
1913410#169
1912336#175
1911230#146
1910221#145
1909206#131
1908156#151
1907175#137
1906156#132
1905157#138
1904138#143
1903134#139
1902152#126
1901121#137
1900157#140
1899127#125
1898141#131
1897124#131
1896145#120
1895135#124
1894128#123
1893139#117
1892137#123
1891107#128
1890115#126
1889108#132
1888126#125
1887119#113
1886139#112
1885118#116
1884117#123
1883125#105
1882147#98
1881121#104
1880163#88

Names like Rufus

Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.

Rupert Ollie Francis Otis Reuben Alfred Albert Archie Leo Wilfred Arthur Ralph

More Latin names

Oliver Olivia Roman Aurora Emily Florence Mabel Luna Nora Rosie Emilia Max Nova Lucy Julian Clara

Every Latin name

Sources

Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland), Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency) and Popular Baby Names (US Social Security Administration). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.

To cite this page: Nameling, “Rufus: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/rufus, updated 20 October 2026.