Total births
53,441
Boys' name · since 1880
Rudolph
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 53,441 babies named Rudolph, peaking in 1927. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #3394
- among boys today
- 53,441
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 76%
- more common than other boys
Rudolph currently ranks #3394 among boys' names in America, with 53,441 babies recorded since 1880.
Social Security Administration records show Rudolph recorded 53,441 times among boys since 1880, holding rank #3394 nationally today, ahead of 76% of boys, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #3394 among boys today
- 53,441 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
- 76% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Rudolph is currently the #3394 boys' name in America, more common than 76% of boys - 53,441 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #3394
- among boys today
- 53,441
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 76%
- more common than other boys
Rudolph vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#3394
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 76% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
24% of everyone ever named Rudolph was born in this single decade.
1927
Single peak year
1,690 babies were named Rudolph in 1927 - its busiest year on record.
How Rudolph compares
53,441 Top 3% higher than 97% 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
Rudolph's all-time total is 146x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Rudolph | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 53,441 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 1,690 | 23 | 22,252 |
Rudolph's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Rudolph's SSA record in two at 1953 and the more recent half accounts for 26% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 74%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 2023, with only 22 births recorded -- set against the 1927 peak of 1,690, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Rudolph at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1927
Current rank
#3,394
Active since
1880
Rudolph popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1927)
- 1,690
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Rudolph popularity over time - girls
197 total births recorded since 1914 (Rudolph as girls' name)
Rudolph by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Rudolph's strongest decade.
12,561 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 24% of all-time use.
Rudolph births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 652
1880s
652 births
- 1890s 998
1890s
998 births
- 1900s 1,339
1900s
1,339 births
- 1910s
1910s
6,857 births
- 1920s
1920s
12,561 births
- 1930s
1930s
8,200 births
- 1940s
1940s
6,553 births
- 1950s
1950s
6,652 births
- 1960s 3,535
1960s
3,535 births
- 1970s 2,186
1970s
2,186 births
- 1980s 1,703
1980s
1,703 births
- 1990s 1,054
1990s
1,054 births
- 2000s 589
2000s
589 births
- 2010s 392
2010s
392 births
- 2020s 170
2020s
170 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 12,561 births (24% of all-time use).
How Rudolph 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 Rudolph's total volume
Rudolph vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Rudolph by state
Where Rudolph concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 5,679 | 10.6% |
| #2 | California | | 3,951 | 7.4% |
| #3 | Pennsylvania | | 3,874 | 7.2% |
| #4 | Texas | | 3,243 | 6.1% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 3,035 | 5.7% |
| #6 | North Carolina | | 1,994 | 3.7% |
| #7 | New Jersey | | 1,905 | 3.6% |
| #8 | Ohio | | 1,748 | 3.3% |
New York share of Rudolph's total US births 10.6%
Even split
5,679 of 53,441 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 50 reporting states.
Rudolph appears in 50 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Rudolph? ▼
53,441 babies have been named Rudolph since 1880. It currently ranks #3394 among boys. The peak year was 1927 with 1,690 births.
When was Rudolph most popular? ▼
Rudolph was most popular in the 1920s decade with 12,561 total births. The single peak year was 1927.
Where is Rudolph most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Rudolph are New York (5,679 births), California (3,951 births), Pennsylvania (3,874 births).
How long has the name Rudolph been used? ▼
Records for Rudolph go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Rudolph? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Rudy, Rudolf, Rudolfo, Rudra, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Rudolph's data
- Rudolph's decade-level peak was the 1920s (12,561 total births); usage has since declined to 170 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Rudolphs (5,679 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 Rudolph
Nearby Names Like Rudolph
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Rudolph
Rudy Boy
#817 50,228 births
Rudolf Boy
#10959 2,951 births
Rudolfo Boy
2,263 births
Rudra Boy
#1340 1,763 births
Rudi Boy
#10037 761 births
Compare Rudolph side by side: Rudolph vs Rudy Rudolph vs Rudolf Rudolph vs Rudolfo
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Rudolph
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, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Rudolph: #3394 Boys' Name - 53,441 Births, Peak 1927." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/rudolph. 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 Rudolph 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.