Boy name · Latin
Rufus
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: red-hairedRufus is a boy's name that comes from Latin and means "red-haired". It is used in English.
- Meaning
- Red-haired
- Origin
- Latin
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #4019 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Rufus
As a boy's name, Rufus comes from Latin and means "red-haired". It is used in English.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Rufus on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Rufus on 9 lists.
“Red-haired; Latin. Son of Simon of Cyrene, Mark 15”
From Biblical names, names from the Gospels and Acts
“Latin for red-haired, ideal for a russet coat”
From Boy dog names, classic names for male dogs
“Red-haired; Latin. A nickname of King William II”
From Classic boy names, traditional Latin and Greek boy names
“Latin for red-haired, a nod to a famous nose”
From Reindeer names, boy reindeer names
“Red-haired; Latin, a cheerful old Roman nickname”
From Cute boy names, sweet vintage boy names
“Gruff and lovable”
From Porch goose names, boy porch goose names
“Red-haired; Latin. The nickname of England's King William II”
From Old man names, distinguished old man names
“Latin for red-haired, a natural for a ginger tom”
From Orange cat names, classic orange cat names
“Red-haired; Latin. Later the nickname of King William II”
From Roman names, roman cognomina (nicknames that stuck)
How popular is Rufus?
- US rank in 2025
- #4,019
- 27 babies, 16 per million boys
- Best rank
- #88 in 1880
- Most babies: 737 in 1922
- Babies since 1880
- At least 36,074
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 1,171 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 1,138 per million |
| 1900s | 1,143 per million |
| 1910s | 734 per million |
| 1920s | 612 per million |
| 1930s | 452 per million |
| 1940s | 313 per million |
| 1950s | 206 per million |
| 1960s | 136 per million |
| 1970s | 95 per million |
| 1980s | 61 per million |
| 1990s | 29 per million |
| 2000s | 16 per million |
| 2010s | 18 per million |
| 2020s | 15 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,281 | #3,239 | #4,082 | #3,701 | #4,005 | #4,211 | #3,971 | #5,209 | #4,170 | #4,019 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of Rufus
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- RufinoRed-haired (Latin, boy)
Names with a similar meaning
- RoryRed king (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- BarryFair-haired (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- CassidyCurly-haired (Irish Gaelic, unisex)
- ReidRed-haired (Old English, boy)
- RowanLittle red one (Irish Gaelic, unisex)
- RoyRed (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- RufinaRed-haired (Latin, girl)
- AkaneDeep red, madder (Japanese, girl)
- BarraFair-haired (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- CheyenneRed speakers (Lakota, girl)
Middle names for Rufus
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Latin
Rufus: common questions
What does the name Rufus mean?
Rufus comes from Latin and means "red-haired".
Is Rufus a boy or girl name?
Rufus is mainly a boy's name.
Where does the name Rufus come from?
Rufus comes from Latin and means "red-haired". Today it is used in English.
How popular is the name Rufus?
Rufus ranked #4,019 in the US in 2025, with 27 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Rufus?
Forms of Rufus with the same meaning and origin include Rufino (Spanish).
What middle names go with Rufus?
Middle names that flow well with Rufus include Arnold, Bradley, George, Samuel and Spencer. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.