Total births
3,103
Boys' name · since 1912
Rolf
Rolf has 3,103 recorded births since 1912 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1960 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #11003
- among boys today
- 3,103
- born since 1912
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 23%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Rolf is the #11003 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 3,103 recorded since 1912.
Social Security Administration records show Rolf recorded 3,103 times among boys since 1912, holding rank #11003 nationally today, ahead of 23% of boys, peaking in the 1950s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1912 to 2025.
- #11003 among boys today
- 3,103 born since 1912
- 1950s peak decade
- 23% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Rolf is currently the #11003 boys' name in America, more common than 23% of boys - 3,103 born since 1912, peaking in the 1950s.
- #11003
- among boys today
- 3,103
- born since 1912
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 23%
- more common than other boys
Rolf vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#11003
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 23% of names given to boys today.
1950s
Peak decade
21% of everyone ever named Rolf was born in this single decade.
1960
Single peak year
96 babies were named Rolf in 1960 - its busiest year on record.
How Rolf compares
3,103 Top 16% higher than 84% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Rolf's all-time total is 8x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Rolf | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,103 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 96 | 23 | 22,252 |
Rolf's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Rolf's SSA record in two at 1960 and the more recent half accounts for 36% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 64%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1997, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1960 peak of 96, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Rolf at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1960
Current rank
#11,003
Active since
1912
Rolf popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1912–2025
- Peak year (1960)
- 96
- Annual births at peak, across 114 years of records
Rolf by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Rolf's strongest decade.
663 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 21% of all-time use.
Rolf births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 176
1910s
176 births
- 1920s
1920s
297 births
- 1930s
1930s
419 births
- 1940s
1940s
434 births
- 1950s
1950s
663 births
- 1960s
1960s
662 births
- 1970s 234
1970s
234 births
- 1980s 89
1980s
89 births
- 1990s 75
1990s
75 births
- 2000s 19
2000s
19 births
- 2010s 10
2010s
10 births
- 2020s 25
2020s
25 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 663 births (21% of all-time use).
How Rolf compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Rolf's total volume
Rolf vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Rolf by state
Where Rolf concentrates geographically, total births since 1912
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 377 | 12.1% |
| #2 | Minnesota | | 247 | 8.0% |
| #3 | California | | 226 | 7.3% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 133 | 4.3% |
| #5 | Wisconsin | | 63 | 2.0% |
| #6 | Washington | | 24 | 0.8% |
| #7 | Michigan | | 22 | 0.7% |
| #8 | Massachusetts | | 17 | 0.5% |
New York share of Rolf's total US births 12.1%
Even split
377 of 3,103 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 12 reporting states.
Rolf appears in 12 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Rolf? ▼
Rolf has been given to 3,103 babies in the U.S. since 1912, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #11003 as of the latest data. 96 babies were born in 1960, its single highest year.
When was Rolf most popular? ▼
Rolf was most popular in the 1950s decade with 663 total births. The single peak year was 1960.
Where is Rolf most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Rolf are New York (377 births), Minnesota (247 births), California (226 births).
How long has the name Rolf been used? ▼
Records for Rolf go back to 1912, giving 114 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Rolf? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Roland, Rolando, Rolland, Rollin, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Rolf's data
- Rolf's decade-level peak was the 1950s (663 total births); usage has since declined to 25 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Rolfs (377 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Rolf
Nearby Names Like Rolf
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Rolf
Roland Boy
#663 100,829 births
Rolando Boy
#1272 24,438 births
Rolland Boy
#4705 9,868 births
Rollin Boy
#4703 5,771 births
Rollie Boy
#7260 3,570 births
Compare Rolf side by side: Rolf vs Roland Rolf vs Rolando Rolf vs Rolland
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Rolf
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1912–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Rolf: #11003 Boys' Name - 3,103 Births, Peak 1960." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/rolf. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Rolf draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.