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BabyNames
Boy name#574 of boy names

Rufus

Pronounced R UW1 F AH0 S (ARPABET)

  • 2 syllables
  • Peaked 1922
  • 145 years in use
  • Biblical
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How popular is Rufus?

Rufus is a boys' name, and has been in the record since the data starts in 1880. It has been given to 36,196 children — the 574th most common boys' name on record.

It is still recorded, but barely: 293 births across the past decade, against a peak of 737 in a single year. That peak was in 1922.

02505007501,00018901920195019802010
1922Boys: 737Girls: 9

Characteristics

  • Biblical (Person)
  • 2 syllables
Phonetic detail
Pronunciations:
R UW1 F AH0 S
Stress pattern:
10
Syllables:
2

Stress digits mark unstressed (0), primary (1) and secondary (2) syllables.

Names like Rufus

Same first letter and syllable count, peaking around the same time.

Sibling names for Rufus

Names from the same era with a matching rhythm but a different initial.

Frequently asked questions

How popular is the name Rufus?
Rufus ranks 574th among boys' names in US records, with 36,196 births since 1880. Over the past decade it accounts for 293.
Is Rufus a unisex name?
No. Rufus is recorded almost entirely as a boys' name; births to the other gender are too few to register as a share.
When was Rufus most popular?
1922, when 737 children were given the name. It has been in use for 145 years and is still recorded as of 2024.