Boys' name · since 1886
Ruffin
Ruffin has 560 recorded births since 1886 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1916 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #7,379 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 560
- born since 1886
- 1920s
- peak decade
Ruffin sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 560 recorded since 1886.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Ruffin has been recorded 560 times among boys since 1886, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1886 to 2024.
- #7,379 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 560 born since 1886
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Ruffin ranks #7,379 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 560 born since 1886, peaking in the 1920s.
- #7,379 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 560
- born since 1886
- 1920s
- peak decade
Ruffin's 560 recorded births place it above 83.77% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 2 jurisdictions, led by North Carolina.
Ruffin's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Ruffin's SSA record in two at 1946 and the more recent half accounts for 39% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 61%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1909, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1916 peak of 19, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Ruffin popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1886–2024
- Peak year (1916)
- 19
- Annual births at peak, across 139 years of records
Ruffin by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (128 births, 23% of the file).
1920s was Ruffin's strongest decade.
128 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 23% of all-time use.
Ruffin births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 6
1880s
6 births
- 1900s 5
1900s
5 births
- 1910s
1910s
72 births
- 1920s
1920s
128 births
- 1930s
1930s
66 births
- 1940s
1940s
105 births
- 1950s
1950s
68 births
- 1960s 30
1960s
30 births
- 1970s 20
1970s
20 births
- 1980s 16
1980s
16 births
- 1990s 17
1990s
17 births
- 2000s 7
2000s
7 births
- 2010s 15
2010s
15 births
- 2020s 5
2020s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 128 births (23% of all-time use).
How Ruffin 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 Ruffin's total volume
Ruffin by state
Where Ruffin concentrates geographically, total births since 1886
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | North Carolina | | 58 | 10.4% |
| #2 | Louisiana | | 36 | 6.4% |
58 of 560 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Ruffin's data
- Ruffin's decade-level peak was the 1920s (128 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- North Carolina records the most Ruffins (58 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. North Carolina names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Ruffin
Nearby Names Like Ruffin
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ruffin
Compare Ruffin side by side: Ruffin vs Rufus Ruffin vs Rufino Ruffin vs Ruffus
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Ruffin: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1916)
Similar record span (~138 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1886–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Ruffin 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 August 2026.