Rudolph
Meaningfamous wolf · German
- US rank
- #4,139
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #110 in 1927
25 babies were named Rudolph in the US in 2025. It has dropped 405 places in five years.
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US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Rudolph you might not know, from US birth records. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
- How commonAbout 1 in every 68,493 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Rudolph, 25 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Rudolph would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryRudolph has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Rudolphs, and counting.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1927, when it ranked #110. Today it's #4,139, so it could be due a comeback.
- Then vs nowRudolph was 2.5× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 27,248 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 68,493.
- TrendRudolph has slipped 405 places over the last five years and now sits at #4,139. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- MeaningIn German, Rudolph means “famous wolf”.
About the name Rudolph
Rudolph is a boy name meaning “famous wolf”. It has 7 letters and 2 syllables, starting with R and ending in “-lph”. US birth records list Rudolph for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1927, when it ranked #110 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #4,139, with 25 babies.
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 598 | 1,673 boys |
| 1890s | 873 | 1,146 boys |
| 1900s | 980 | 1,020 boys |
| 1910s | 1,040 | 961 boys |
| 1920s | 1,138 | 879 boys |
| 1930s | 778 | 1,286 boys |
| 1940s | 445 | 2,246 boys |
| 1950s | 333 | 3,005 boys |
| 1960s | 182 | 5,490 boys |
| 1970s | 132 | 7,586 boys |
| 1980s | 92 | 10,824 boys |
| 1990s | 54 | 18,560 boys |
| 2000s | 30 | 33,772 boys |
| 2010s | 21 | 47,939 boys |
| 2020s | 16 | 61,038 boys |
Questions about the name Rudolph
What does the name Rudolph mean?
Rudolph means “famous wolf” in German.
Is Rudolph a boy or girl name?
Rudolph is a boy name.
How popular is the name Rudolph?
Rudolph ranked #4,139 for US boys in 2025, given to 25 babies. Its best year was 1927 (#110).