Total births
29
Boys' name · since 1914
Rufe
Since 1914, U.S. Social Security records show 29 babies named Rufe, peaking in 1918. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 29
- total births
- 1914–1931
- years on record
- 1910s
- peak decade
- 83%
- born in that decade
Rufe sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 29 recorded since 1914.
Rufe has 29 recorded births among boys since 1914, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1910s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1914 to 1931.
- 29 total births
- 1914–1931 years on record
- 1910s peak decade
- 83% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
29 boys have been named Rufe since 1914, peaking in the 1910s, last recorded in 1931.
- 29
- total births
- 1914–1931
- years on record
- 1910s
- peak decade
- 83%
- born in that decade
1910s
Peak decade
83% of everyone ever named Rufe was born in this single decade.
1918
Single peak year
9 babies were named Rufe in 1918 - its busiest year on record.
Rufe's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Rufe splits its recorded history at 1917: 66% of all births land in the more recent half, 34% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1914 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1918 peak of 9 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Rufe at a glance
Last recorded 1931Peak year
1918
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1914
Rufe popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1914–1931
- Peak year (1918)
- 9
- Annual births at peak, across 18 years of records
Rufe by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1910s was Rufe's strongest decade.
24 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 83% of all-time use.
Rufe births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s
1910s
24 births
- 1930s 5
1930s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1910s at 24 births (83% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Rufe? ▼
Since 1914, Social Security records show 29 babies named Rufe. The most recent recorded year was 1931. Its busiest year on record was 1918, with 9 births.
When was Rufe most popular? ▼
Rufe was most popular in the 1910s decade with 24 total births. The single peak year was 1918.
How long has the name Rufe been used? ▼
Records for Rufe go back to 1914, giving 18 years of history through 1931.
What names are similar to Rufe? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Rufus, Rufino, Ruffus, Ruffin, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Rufe's data
- Rufe's decade-level peak was the 1910s (24 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 1930s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- 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 Rufe
Nearby Names Like Rufe
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Rufe
Rufus Boy
#4073 36,074 births
Rufino Boy
#8375 1,650 births
Ruffus Boy
674 births
Ruffin Boy
#12384 560 births
Ruford Boy
71 births
Compare Rufe side by side: Rufe vs Rufus Rufe vs Rufino Rufe vs Ruffus
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
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, 1914–1931 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Rufe: Baby Name Since 1914 - 29 Births, Peak 1918." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/rufe. 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 Rufe 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.