Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1952

Randolph

Meaning shield Gender Boy Rank 2025 #5,003 Trend ↓ Falling 22%

From Old Norse rǫnd (“shield”) + úlfr (“wolf”).

Rank 2025
#5,003
among boys · ↑600 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
20
named Randolph
How common
1 in 85,404
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1952
1,817 babies
All-time total
49,536
#517 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Randolph popularity over time

49,536 babies have been named Randolph since 1880, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.250.50.75118801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – 193 193 19 – #346
1890s – 267 267 27 +38% #311
1900s – 414 414 41 +55% #295
1910s – 1,857 1,857 186 +349% #308
1920s – 2,735 2,735 274 +47% #331
1930s – 2,854 2,854 285 +4% #281
1940s 15 7,555 7,570 757 +165% #171
1950s 44 15,496 15,540 1,554 +105% #154
1960s 30 8,195 8,225 823 -47% #241
1970s 18 4,020 4,038 404 -51% #334
1980s 5 2,900 2,905 291 -28% #444
1990s – 1,572 1,572 157 -46% #672
2000s – 799 799 80 -49% #1,234
2010s – 434 434 43 -46% #2,223
2020s (to 2025) – 133 133 22 -49% #3,782

Where Randolph is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year Projected babies Per 1,000 boys Implied rank
2026 19 0.01 outside top 500
2027 18 0.01 outside top 500
2028 17 0.01 outside top 500
2029 17 0.01 outside top 500
2030 16 0.01 outside top 500

The story of Randolph

Randolph is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #5,003 in 2025 with 20 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 49,536 American babies have been named Randolph. Its peak came in 1952, when 1,817 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1950s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Randolph stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Randolph?

The median living Randolph is about 65 years old; half are between 52 and 72. An estimated 32 thousand people named Randolph are alive in the United States today.

median 65 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Randolph year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 – – 20 #5,003
2024 – – 17 #5,603
2023 – – 30 #3,782
2022 – – 20 #4,978
2021 – – 18 #5,287
2020 – – 28 #3,786
2019 – – 26 #4,085
2018 – – 39 #3,041
2017 – – 42 #2,878
2016 – – 36 #3,211
2015 – – 45 #2,709
2014 – – 51 #2,484
2013 – – 41 #2,832
2012 – – 46 #2,668
2011 – – 59 #2,223
2010 – – 49 #2,542
2009 – – 56 #2,343
2008 – – 57 #2,318
2007 – – 70 #2,015
2006 – – 76 #1,819
2005 – – 74 #1,785
2004 – – 66 #1,873
2003 – – 80 #1,588
2002 – – 104 #1,301
2001 – – 107 #1,252
2000 – – 109 #1,234
1995 – – 162 #850
1990 – – 227 #672
1985 – – 326 #480
1980 – – 308 #480
1975 – – 355 #409
1970 – – 569 #334
1965 8 #5,182 779 #266
1960 6 #6,225 1,081 #244
1955 – – 1,765 #162
1950 6 #5,161 1,550 #162
1945 5 #5,099 645 #214
1940 – – 382 #287
1935 – – 312 #307
1930 – – 271 #339
1925 – – 267 #365
1920 – – 293 #340
1915 – – 220 #362
1910 – – 65 #308
1905 – – 40 #318
1900 – – 50 #295
1895 – – 29 #345
1890 – – 21 #403
1885 – – 21 #395
1880 – – 19 #398

Famous people named Randolph

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Randolph Scott Randolph Scott American actor (1898–1987) 19th century
  2. 2 Randolph Churchill Randolph Churchill British journalist, writer and politician (1911–1968) Contemporary
  3. 3 Randolph Bresnik Randolph Bresnik United States Marine and NASA astronaut b. 1967 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Randolph, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Randolph?

The median living Randolph is about 65 years old. Half of all living Randolphs are between 52 and 72 years old.

How many people named Randolph are alive today?

An estimated 32 thousand people named Randolph are alive in the United States, based on 49,536 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Randolph mean?

From Old Norse rǫnd (“shield”) + úlfr (“wolf”).

How popular is the name Randolph in 2025?

Randolph ranked #5,003 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 20 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Randolph?

49,536 babies have been named Randolph in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Randolph most popular?

Randolph peaked in 1952, when 1,817 newborns received the name.

Is Randolph a boy or girl name?

Randolph is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Randolph rising or falling?

Randolph is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Will Randolph become more popular?

Randolph is trending downward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 16 boys named Randolph in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Randolph?

Well-known people named Randolph include Randolph Scott (actor), Randolph Churchill (politician), Randolph Bresnik (astronaut).

Names like Randolph

Names that sound and feel close to Randolph: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Randolph with similar names → More names starting with R →