Rufus is a distinctive choice, ranked #422 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only Rufus in their class.
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UK Rank 2024
#422
About the Name Rufus
Rufus has seen a notable decline in recent years, dropping 111 places in five years. It was most popular in 2012 at #236 — parents choosing it today are making a deliberately counter-trend decision. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.
Rufus is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Rufus
Unlikely. With around 95 UK babies named Rufus per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Rufus in his class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Rufus has been declining in UK popularity, dropping 111 places in the last five years. Its peak was #236 in 2012. Choosing it now means he is likely to be among the last of his generation with this name.
Rufus is a distinctive choice sitting outside the mainstream UK top names. Parents choosing less common names often find their children appreciate the individuality as they grow up, rarely needing to add an initial to distinguish themselves.
Notable people named Rufus include: Rufus Tiger Taylor — Rufus Tiger Taylor is an English musician.; Rufus Payne — Rufus "Tee Tot" Payne was an early-20th-century African-American blues musician from Greenville, Alabama, who was more widely known by his nickname Tee Tot.; Rufus Gifford — John Rufus Gifford is an American politician and diplomat who was the chief of protocol of the United States from 2022 to 2023..
Rufus does not appear in the US top 1,000 baby names, making it a distinctively British choice — your child is unlikely to encounter American Rufuss in the wild.
95
UK babies named Rufus (2024)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.1
In a school of 600
↓ 111 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Rufus
Likely around 1 other Rufus in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
No US data available for this name
✨ Similar names to Rufus
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Rufus Tiger Taylor is an English musician. He is best known as the drummer for the rock band the Darkness since May 2015, and as a touring drummer for the Queen + Adam Lambert stage shows.
Rufus "Tee Tot" Payne was an early-20th-century African-American blues musician from Greenville, Alabama, who was more widely known by his nickname Tee Tot. Payne's nickname of "Tee Tot" is an ironic pun for "teetotaler".
Rufus Daniel Isaacs, 1st Marquess of Reading, known as the Earl of Reading from 1917 to 1926, was a British Liberal politician and judge, who served as Lord Chief Justice of England, Viceroy of India, and Foreign Secretary, the last Liberal to hold that post. The second practising Jew to be a member of the British cabinet (the first being Herbert Samuel, who was also a member of H.
John Rufus Gifford is an American politician and diplomat who was the chief of protocol of the United States from 2022 to 2023. Between 2013 and 2017, he was the United States ambassador to Denmark.
Gaius Valgius Rufus was a Roman senator, and a contemporary of Horace and Maecenas. He succeeded Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus as suffect consul upon the latter's death in 12 BC.
Rufus King was an American newspaper editor, public servant, diplomat, and soldier. He served as a Union Army brigadier general in the American Civil War, and was responsible for assembling the famed Iron Brigade of the Army of the Potomac.