Rudy
Boy name · #739 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Rudy? In official American birth records, Rudy has been tracked continuously since 1882, giving it 143 years of documented American history.
Rudy is currently the #739 boy name in the United States — 354 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #844, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 5,085 boys born in 2025 was named Rudy.
Babies named Rudy per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 143-year story
Rudy first appears in the Social Security records in 1882, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1960, when 831 boys were named Rudy — good for #278 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 Rudy against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Rudy in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Rudy is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Rudy will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Rudy is most common
Geography matters for names, and Rudy is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Rudy is most common in UT (0.8 per 1,000), OR (0.7 per 1,000), MN (0.5 per 1,000), WA (0.5 per 1,000), AZ (0.4 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Rudy is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Rudy
Statistically, parents drawn to Rudy tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Ray, Randy, Clay, Ricky, and Joey.
RayRandyClayRickyJoeyRockyEddyRobin
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Rudy | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 354 | #739 |
| 2024 | 306 | #817 |
| 2023 | 296 | #827 |
| 2022 | 289 | #842 |
| 2021 | 292 | #821 |
| 2020 | 268 | #850 |
| 2019 | 257 | #862 |
| 2018 | 273 | #820 |
| 2017 | 246 | #873 |
| 2016 | 263 | #855 |
| 2015 | 266 | #844 |
| 2014 | 257 | #859 |
| 2013 | 272 | #803 |
| 2012 | 286 | #791 |
| 2011 | 310 | #732 |
| 2010 | 309 | #740 |
| 2009 | 327 | #722 |
| 2008 | 389 | #632 |
| 2007 | 334 | #698 |
| 2006 | 376 | #627 |
| 2005 | 389 | #584 |
| 2004 | 419 | #550 |
| 2003 | 396 | #564 |
| 2002 | 397 | #560 |
| 2001 | 415 | #529 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Rudy?
In official American birth records, the name Rudy first appeared in 1882 (over 143 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Rudy a popular boy name?
Rudy ranked #739 among boys in 2025 with 354 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #844.
When was the name Rudy most popular?
Rudy peaked in 1960, when 831 American boys received the name (ranked #278 that year). Since 1960 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Rudy?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 5,085 newborn American boys was named Rudy. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.