Rudolf
Borrowed from Czech Rudolf and German Rudolf.
Every Rudolf since 1882 — 2,951 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Rudolf
Rudolf is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1882, 2,951 American babies have been named Rudolf. Its peak came in 1927, when 82 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
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 Rudolf stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Rudolf year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | 6 | #12,080 |
| 2023 | 6 | #11,977 |
| 2022 | 8 | #9,668 |
| 2021 | 5 | #13,710 |
| 2020 | 8 | #9,395 |
| 2019 | 7 | #10,592 |
| 2018 | 8 | #9,502 |
| 2017 | 8 | #9,525 |
| 2016 | 7 | #10,523 |
| 2015 | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | 5 | #13,686 |
| 2012 | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — |
| 2010 | 6 | #11,913 |
| 2009 | 6 | #12,182 |
| 2008 | 8 | #9,690 |
| 2007 | 8 | #9,593 |
| 2006 | 5 | #13,624 |
| 2005 | 10 | #7,544 |
| 2004 | 8 | #8,766 |
| 2003 | 5 | #12,394 |
| 2002 | 11 | #6,440 |
| 2001 | — | — |
| 2000 | 8 | #8,057 |
| 1995 | 8 | #6,863 |
| 1990 | 9 | #5,727 |
| 1985 | 11 | #3,999 |
| 1980 | 19 | #2,601 |
| 1975 | 15 | #2,733 |
| 1970 | 25 | #1,786 |
| 1965 | 22 | #1,713 |
| 1960 | 18 | #1,964 |
| 1955 | 31 | #1,392 |
| 1950 | 41 | #1,121 |
| 1945 | 33 | #1,159 |
| 1940 | 35 | #1,126 |
| 1935 | 34 | #1,145 |
| 1930 | 67 | #792 |
| 1925 | 55 | #913 |
| 1920 | 42 | #1,107 |
| 1915 | 65 | #748 |
| 1910 | 8 | #1,290 |
| 1905 | 5 | #1,394 |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Rudolf
- Rudolf Hess Politician · 1894–1987
- Rudolf Steiner Philosopher · 1861–1925
- Rudolf Diesel Inventor · 1858–1913
- Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor Politician · 1552–1612
- Rudolf Nureyev Dancer · 1938–1993
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Rudolf mean?
Borrowed from Czech Rudolf and German Rudolf.
How popular is the name Rudolf in 2025?
Rudolf did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Rudolf?
2,951 babies have been named Rudolf in the United States since 1882, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Rudolf most popular?
Rudolf peaked in 1927, when 82 newborns received the name.
Is Rudolf a boy or girl name?
Rudolf is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Rudolf rising or falling?
Rudolf is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Rudolf?
Well-known people named Rudolf include Rudolf Hess (politician), Rudolf Steiner (philosopher), Rudolf Diesel (inventor).