Rudy
A diminutive of the male given name Rudolph.
Every Rudy since 1882 — 51,402 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Rudy
Rudy is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #739 in 2025 with 354 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1882, 51,402 American babies have been named Rudy. Its peak came in 1960, when 837 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
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 Rudy stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Rudy 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 | 33 | #4,334 | 354 | #739 |
| 2024 | 19 | #6,355 | 306 | #818 |
| 2023 | 20 | #6,125 | 296 | #830 |
| 2022 | 11 | #9,555 | 289 | #843 |
| 2021 | 16 | #7,203 | 292 | #821 |
| 2020 | 16 | #7,166 | 268 | #851 |
| 2019 | 24 | #5,429 | 257 | #865 |
| 2018 | 16 | #7,357 | 273 | #822 |
| 2017 | 17 | #7,043 | 246 | #875 |
| 2016 | 14 | #8,319 | 263 | #860 |
| 2015 | 8 | #12,791 | 266 | #846 |
| 2014 | 5 | #18,700 | 257 | #862 |
| 2013 | 8 | #12,930 | 272 | #804 |
| 2012 | 11 | #10,299 | 286 | #792 |
| 2011 | 5 | #19,017 | 310 | #733 |
| 2010 | 10 | #11,089 | 309 | #740 |
| 2009 | 5 | #19,638 | 327 | #724 |
| 2008 | 10 | #11,440 | 389 | #632 |
| 2007 | — | — | 334 | #699 |
| 2006 | 14 | #8,626 | 376 | #628 |
| 2005 | — | — | 389 | #584 |
| 2004 | 12 | #9,161 | 419 | #550 |
| 2003 | 10 | #10,278 | 396 | #565 |
| 2002 | 15 | #7,365 | 397 | #560 |
| 2001 | 6 | #14,949 | 415 | #530 |
| 2000 | 8 | #11,565 | 386 | #547 |
| 1995 | 18 | #5,391 | 490 | #461 |
| 1990 | 20 | #4,828 | 602 | #386 |
| 1985 | 17 | #4,604 | 515 | #358 |
| 1980 | 10 | #6,664 | 495 | #360 |
| 1975 | 5 | #10,232 | 473 | #355 |
| 1970 | 9 | #5,726 | 480 | #372 |
| 1965 | 6 | #6,372 | 592 | #313 |
| 1960 | 6 | #6,262 | 831 | #278 |
| 1955 | 9 | #4,323 | 668 | #277 |
| 1950 | 7 | #4,662 | 612 | #266 |
| 1945 | — | — | 511 | #256 |
| 1940 | 8 | #3,461 | 427 | #273 |
| 1935 | 8 | #3,379 | 430 | #260 |
| 1930 | 7 | #3,986 | 437 | #270 |
| 1925 | 8 | #3,971 | 209 | #414 |
| 1920 | 7 | #4,329 | 111 | #599 |
| 1915 | 7 | #3,735 | 105 | #548 |
| 1910 | — | — | 26 | #566 |
| 1905 | — | — | 6 | #1,210 |
| 1900 | — | — | 13 | #726 |
| 1895 | — | — | 5 | #1,214 |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Rudy
- Rudy Giuliani Politician · b. 1944
- Rudy Van Gelder Engineer · 1924–2016
- Rudy Sarzo Musician · b. 1950
- Rudy Tomjanovich Basketball player · b. 1948
- Rudy Rucker Mathematician · b. 1946
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Rudy mean?
A diminutive of the male given name Rudolph.
How popular is the name Rudy in 2025?
Rudy ranked #739 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 354 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Rudy?
51,402 babies have been named Rudy in the United States since 1882, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Rudy most popular?
Rudy peaked in 1960, when 837 newborns received the name.
Is Rudy a boy or girl name?
Rudy is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 98% of babies with the name.
Is the name Rudy rising or falling?
Rudy is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Rudy?
Well-known people named Rudy include Rudy Giuliani (politician), Rudy Van Gelder (engineer), Rudy Sarzo (musician).