Total births
2,903
Boys' name · since 1949
Rustin
Rustin has 2,903 recorded births since 1949 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1979 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #2430
- among boys today
- 2,903
- born since 1949
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 83%
- more common than other boys
2,903 babies have been named Rustin since 1949, making it today's #2430 boys' name.
Rustin has 2,903 recorded births among boys since 1949, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #2430 as of the latest data, more common than 83% of boys, busiest in the 1980s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1949 to 2025.
- #2430 among boys today
- 2,903 born since 1949
- 1980s peak decade
- 83% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Rustin is currently the #2430 boys' name in America, more common than 83% of boys - 2,903 born since 1949, peaking in the 1980s.
- #2430
- among boys today
- 2,903
- born since 1949
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 83%
- more common than other boys
Rustin vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#2430
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 83% of names given to boys today.
1980s
Peak decade
23% of everyone ever named Rustin was born in this single decade.
1979
Single peak year
87 babies were named Rustin in 1979 - its busiest year on record.
How Rustin compares
2,903 Top 17% higher than 83% 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
Rustin's all-time total is 8x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Rustin | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,903 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 87 | 23 | 22,252 |
Rustin's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Rustin's full recorded timeline at 1989, 51% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 49% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1949, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1979 peak of 87 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Rustin at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1979
Current rank
#2,430
Active since
1949
Rustin popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1949–2025
- Peak year (1979)
- 87
- Annual births at peak, across 77 years of records
Rustin by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Rustin's strongest decade.
655 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 23% of all-time use.
Rustin births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 5
1940s
5 births
- 1950s 84
1950s
84 births
- 1960s 188
1960s
188 births
- 1970s
1970s
541 births
- 1980s
1980s
655 births
- 1990s
1990s
389 births
- 2000s
2000s
295 births
- 2010s
2010s
438 births
- 2020s
2020s
308 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 655 births (23% of all-time use).
How Rustin 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 Rustin's total volume
Rustin vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Rustin by state
Where Rustin concentrates geographically, total births since 1949
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 323 | 11.1% |
| #2 | California | | 149 | 5.1% |
| #3 | Utah | | 41 | 1.4% |
| #4 | Louisiana | | 30 | 1.0% |
| #5 | Missouri | | 18 | 0.6% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 17 | 0.6% |
| #7 | Kansas | | 17 | 0.6% |
| #8 | Oklahoma | | 16 | 0.6% |
Texas share of Rustin's total US births 11.1%
Even split
323 of 2,903 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 18 reporting states.
Rustin appears in 18 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Rustin? ▼
2,903 babies have been named Rustin since 1949. It currently ranks #2430 among boys. The peak year was 1979 with 87 births.
When was Rustin most popular? ▼
Rustin was most popular in the 1980s decade with 655 total births. The single peak year was 1979.
Where is Rustin most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Rustin are Texas (323 births), California (149 births), Utah (41 births).
How long has the name Rustin been used? ▼
Rustin has been recorded in Social Security data since 1949, spanning 77 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Rustin? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Russell, Rusty, Russel, Russ, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Rustin's data
- Rustin's usage has stayed within range of its 1980s decade-level peak (655 total births) through the 2020s (308) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Texas records the most Rustins (323 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Rustin
Nearby Names Like Rustin
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Rustin
Russell Boy
#367 359,780 births
Rusty Boy
#3354 17,802 births
Russel Boy
#4434 16,610 births
Russ Boy
#6215 6,131 births
Rush Boy
#1487 3,438 births
Compare Rustin side by side: Rustin vs Russell Rustin vs Rusty Rustin vs Russel
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Rustin
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, 1949–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Rustin: #2430 Boys' Name - 2,903 Births, Peak 1979." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/rustin. 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 Rustin 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.