How Many People Are Named Rufus?
Complete statistics for the name Rufus: rarity score, gender breakdown, age distribution, historical popularity, worldwide data, meaning and origin.
Rufus is a Latin name meaning 'red-haired' or 'redhead', and it has a wonderfully old-school charm to match its history. About 11,782 people named Rufus are living in the US today, making it genuinely rare at 1 in 28,009 Americans. What's striking is just how concentrated this name is among older generations, a real marker of a bygone era.
📖 Meaning & Origin
The life path number 22 is often called the Master Builder, traditionally representing the power to turn ambitious dreams into real, lasting achievements. People associated with 22 are thought to combine vision with practicality, making them capable of creating something truly meaningful in the world.
🌍 Worldwide Usage
⚥ Gender Distribution
📊 Births by Age Group
Avg Cohort Age: 89All 36,033 recorded US births for this name, grouped by the age those individuals would be today. Not adjusted for survival, so the number living today is lower (see the living estimate above).
📈 Popularity Over Time
Peak: 1922Annual US births from SSA records · Trend: Slowly declining
🏆 Name Scorecard
Scores 0–100 based on statistical analysis of US and worldwide name frequency
📜 Rufus Through the Generations
Rufus had its moment well over a century ago, peaking in 1922 with 746 births in a single year. Since then it's been a slow, steady decline, and the numbers tell that story clearly. Of the estimated 11,782 living Rufuses in the US today, a remarkable 86% are over 60, that's 31,135 of the all-time births falling into the older-generation bucket. Only 923 are under 30, which is a pretty thin slice. The gap between all-time births of 36,033 and the living count of 11,782 is also significant, reflecting both the name's age and the fact that so many who carried it were born in an era when lifespans were shorter. The average age sitting at 89 underlines just how much this name belongs to a specific moment in American history. It's not gone, but it's very much a name of the past.
📍 State Distribution (Top 10)
🌿 Related Names by Origin
Other names sharing Rufus's Latin roots
📄 About the Name Rufus
How Many People Have the Name Rufus?
Based on Social Security Administration birth records and age-adjusted survival modeling, approximately 1,390 people in the United States currently share the name Rufus. That works out to roughly 1 in every 238,453 Americans, placing it in the Very Rare category.
Is Rufus a Common or Rare Name?
Rufus is classified as Very Rare. The rarity scale runs from Very Common (shared by millions) through Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Very Rare. Understanding where a name sits helps parents gauge uniqueness, genealogists narrow down records, and individuals settle debates about their own name's distinctiveness.
What Does the Name Rufus Mean?
Rufus means "red-haired, ruddy complexion" and comes from Latin origins. The name carries a life-path numerology number of 22.
Gender Breakdown
Of all recorded bearers of Rufus in SSA data, approximately 100% are male and 0% are female.
When Was Rufus Most Popular?
The name Rufus reached peak popularity in 1922, with 746 babies registered that year. Current trend: Slowly declining.
How Is This Data Calculated?
All figures are statistical estimates, not exact government headcounts. The underlying data comes from the SSA National Baby Names dataset. Full methodology is explained on the methodology page.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How many people are named Rufus?
Approximately 1,390 people named Rufus live in the United States today. All-time US births on record total 1,390. That works out to roughly 1 in 238,453 Americans.
Is Rufus a rare name?
Rufus is classified as Very Rare in the United States. Approximately 1 in every 238,453 Americans has this name.
What does the name Rufus mean?
Rufus means "red-haired, ruddy complexion" and comes from Latin origins.
Is Rufus more male or female?
Based on SSA records, 100% of people named Rufus are male and 0% are female.
When was Rufus most popular?
Rufus peaked in 1922 with 746 births that year. Current trend: Slowly declining.
How accurate are these statistics?
All figures are statistical estimates based on SSA birth records and age-adjusted modeling. See the methodology page for full details.