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    The first name Rufus

    A boy’s name from Latin meaning “red”.

    Pronounced /ˈɹuːfəs/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Latin origin

    Rufus means “red” in Latin.

    From Latin rūfus (“red”).

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 78 boys were named Rufus, making it the 494th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2012, with 218 births (#236).

    0150300 1996200020052010201520202025
    3,758
    babies named Rufus, 1996–2025
    #494
    rank in 2025
    2012
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Rufus with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Rufus at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 27 boys born in the United States were named Rufus, the 4,019th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1922, when 737 were.

    0400800 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    36,225
    babies named Rufus since 1880
    #4,019
    rank in 2025
    1922
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Famous people named Rufus

    27 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Rufus Wainwright
      American-Canadian singer-songwriter and composer, born 1973
    • Rufus Sewell
      English actor (born 1967)
    • Rufus King
      American Founding Father (1755–1827)
    • Rufus Wilmot Griswold
      American editor, literary critic, anthologist, and writer (1815–1857)
    • Rufus Isaacs, 1st Marquess of Reading
      British politician (1860-1935)
    • Rufus Thomas
      American singer (1917–2001)
    • Rufus Choate
      American politician (1799–1859)
    • Rufus Beck
      German actor, born 1957
    • Rufus Bullock
      American politician (1834-1907)
    • Rufus Jones
      American writer (1863-1948)
    • Rufus Pollock
      Economist and co-founder of the Open Knowledge Foundation, born 1980
    • Rufus Blodgett
      American politician (1834-1910)

    More Latin boys’ names

    All 381 names of Latin origin

    Questions

    What does the name Rufus mean?
    Rufus means “red” in Latin.
    What is the origin of the name Rufus?
    From Latin rūfus (“red”).
    How popular is the name Rufus?
    In 2025, 78 boys born in England and Wales were named Rufus, ranking 494th. Its peak was 2012, with 218 births.
    Is Rufus a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 36,225 US babies named Rufus since 1880 were boys.
    When was Rufus most popular?
    1922 in the United States, when 737 babies were named Rufus, its highest rank at 188th.
    How do you pronounce Rufus?
    Rufus is /ˈɹuːfəs/, 2 syllables.
    Is Rufus also a surname?
    Yes. Rufus is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.