The first name Rupert
A boy’s name.
Pronounced /ˈɹupɚt/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
A German name, brought to England by Prince Rupert of the Rhine in the seventeenth century. Doublet of Robert. The geometry sense is also a reference to Prince Rupert, who posed the question of whether a cube could be passed through a hole made in another cube of the same size.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 670 boys were named Rupert, making it the 79th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2022, with 670 births (#84).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Rupert with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Rupert at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 29 boys born in the United States were named Rupert, the 3,831st most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1920, when 156 were.
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 Rupert
50 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Rupert MurdochAmerican businessman, born 1931
- Rupert GrintEnglish actor (born 1988)
- Rupert EverettBritish actor, born 1959
- Rupert BrookeEnglish poet (1887–1915)
- Rupert FriendBritish actor, born 1981
- Rupert GravesEnglish film, television, and theatre actor, born 1963
- Rupert SheldrakeEnglish biochemist, author and parapsychological researcher (*1942)
- Rupert of SalzburgFrankish bishop, 650–718
- Rupert Penry-JonesBritish actor, born 1970
- Rupert EvansBritish actor, born 1976
- Rupert CrosseAmerican actor (1927-1973)
- Rupert HollausAustrian motorcycle racer (1931–1954)
Questions
- What does the name Rupert mean?
- A German name, brought to England by Prince Rupert of the Rhine in the seventeenth century. Doublet of Robert. The geometry sense is also a reference to Prince Rupert, who posed the question of whether a cube could be passed through a hole made in another cube of the same size.
- How popular is the name Rupert?
- In 2025, 670 boys born in England and Wales were named Rupert, ranking 79th. Its peak was 2022, with 670 births.
- Is Rupert a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 5,611 US babies named Rupert since 1880 were boys.
- When was Rupert most popular?
- 1920 in the United States, when 156 babies were named Rupert, its highest rank at 487th.
- How do you pronounce Rupert?
- Rupert is /ˈɹupɚt/, 2 syllables.
- Is Rupert also a surname?
- Yes. Rupert is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.