Rudolph
Boy name · #4140 in 2025 · Uniqueness 83/100
Rudolph is currently the #4140 boy name in the United States — 25 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2864, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 72,000 boys born in 2025 was named Rudolph.
Babies named Rudolph per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Rudolph first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 54 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1927, when 1,690 boys were named Rudolph — good for #110 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Rudolph against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Rudolph in class?
Rudolph scores 83 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Rudolph will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Rudolph is most common
State-level data for Rudolph is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Rudolph
Statistically, parents drawn to Rudolph tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Ralph, Russel, Earnest, Rufus, and Wilfred.
RalphRusselEarnestRufusWilfredHerbertHubertRueben
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Rudolph | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 25 | #4139 |
| 2024 | 34 | #3394 |
| 2023 | 22 | #4610 |
| 2022 | 30 | #3691 |
| 2021 | 31 | #3582 |
| 2020 | 28 | #3734 |
| 2019 | 41 | #2943 |
| 2018 | 34 | #3301 |
| 2017 | 40 | #2951 |
| 2016 | 34 | #3293 |
| 2015 | 41 | #2864 |
| 2014 | 47 | #2582 |
| 2013 | 36 | #3060 |
| 2012 | 43 | #2772 |
| 2011 | 44 | #2699 |
| 2010 | 32 | #3377 |
| 2009 | 35 | #3223 |
| 2008 | 54 | #2374 |
| 2007 | 45 | #2684 |
| 2006 | 50 | #2449 |
| 2005 | 58 | #2114 |
| 2004 | 59 | #2024 |
| 2003 | 65 | #1815 |
| 2002 | 69 | #1694 |
| 2001 | 82 | #1481 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Rudolph a popular boy name?
Rudolph ranked #4140 among boys in 2025 with 25 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2864.
When was the name Rudolph most popular?
Rudolph peaked in 1927, when 1,690 American boys received the name (ranked #110 that year). Since 1927 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Rudolph?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 72,000 newborn American boys was named Rudolph. It scores 83/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.