Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1959

Russ

Meaning A diminutive of the male given name Russell Gender Boy Rank 2025 #5,008 Trend ↑ Rising 39%

A diminutive of the male given name Russell.

Rank 2025
#5,008
among boys · ↑1,405 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
20
named Russ
How common
1 in 85,404
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1959
350 babies
All-time total
6,131
#1,564 all-time among boys
First recorded
1898
in Social Security records

Russ popularity over time

6,131 babies have been named Russ since 1898, 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
0.050.10.150.218801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1959Boys

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 Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s 6 1 – #1,100
1900s 5 1 -17% #1,190
1910s 66 7 +1220% #2,131
1920s 106 11 +61% #2,482
1930s 173 17 +63% #1,309
1940s 624 62 +261% #657
1950s 1,415 142 +127% #427
1960s 2,217 222 +57% #431
1970s 673 67 -70% #731
1980s 405 41 -40% #1,184
1990s 171 17 -58% #2,389
2000s 70 7 -59% #7,001
2010s 89 9 +27% #6,636
2020s (to 2025) 111 19 +108% #4,819

Where Russ 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 21 0.01 outside top 500
2027 22 0.01 outside top 500
2028 23 0.01 outside top 500
2029 24 0.01 outside top 500
2030 25 0.01 outside top 500

The story of Russ

Russ is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #5,008 in 2025 with 20 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1898, 6,131 American babies have been named Russ. Its peak came in 1959, when 350 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 Russ stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Russ?

The median living Russ is about 62 years old; half are between 53 and 66. An estimated 4,700 people named Russ are alive in the United States today.

median 62 020406080100

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

Russ year by year

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

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 20 #5,008
2024 14 #6,413
2023 21 #4,856
2022 21 #4,819
2021 18 #5,293
2020 17 #5,415
2019 11 #7,541
2018 13 #6,636
2017 7 #10,558
2016 8 #9,507
2015 8 #9,410
2014 5 #13,677
2013 6 #11,877
2012 12 #6,954
2011 12 #6,924
2010 7 #10,541
2009 5 #14,093
2008 – –
2007 12 #7,001
2006 5 #13,627
2005 9 #8,169
2004 7 #9,742
2003 7 #9,416
2002 7 #9,194
2001 9 #7,404
2000 9 #7,287
1995 15 #4,233
1990 24 #2,760
1985 34 #1,785
1980 60 #1,184
1975 52 #1,177
1970 127 #731
1965 180 #571
1960 341 #435
1955 96 #751
1950 53 #954
1945 73 #716
1940 35 #1,127
1935 11 #2,374
1930 9 #2,978
1925 9 #3,111
1920 8 #3,445
1915 7 #3,347
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Russ

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

  1. 1 Russ Tamblyn Russ Tamblyn American actor (born 1934) Contemporary
  2. 2 Russ Meyer Russ Meyer American filmmaker and photographer (1922–2004) Contemporary
  3. 3 Russ Feingold Russ Feingold American politician (born 1953) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Russ?

The median living Russ is about 62 years old. Half of all living Russs are between 53 and 66 years old.

How many people named Russ are alive today?

An estimated 4,700 people named Russ are alive in the United States, based on 6,131 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Russ mean?

A diminutive of the male given name Russell.

How popular is the name Russ in 2025?

Russ ranked #5,008 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 Russ?

6,131 babies have been named Russ in the United States since 1898, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Russ most popular?

Russ peaked in 1959, when 350 newborns received the name.

Is Russ a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Russ rising or falling?

Russ is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Will Russ become more popular?

Russ is trending upward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 25 boys named Russ 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 Russ?

Well-known people named Russ include Russ Tamblyn (actor), Russ Meyer (film director), Russ Feingold (politician).

Names like Russ

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

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