Rucker
A masculine name derived from the Middle English word "rook", meaning "rook bird".
Name Census estimates that about 160 living Americans carry the first name Rucker. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Rucker today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rucker births was 2022 (16 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rucker. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
160
~ 1 in 2,142,215 Americans
Peak year
2022
16 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2024 SSA rank
#12,027
Tracked since 1916
Popularity
Rucker: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rucker from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 88 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Rucker remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rucker by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Rucker during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Rucker
The name Rucker has its origins in the Germanic language, derived from the Old High German word "rucken," meaning "ridge" or "back." It emerged during the medieval period, likely as a surname for those residing near a prominent ridge or hill.
Early records of the name can be traced back to the 12th century in various German-speaking regions. One of the earliest documented instances is a mention of a knight named Rucker von Sternberg, who served under the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I in the 1180s.
As the name spread across Europe, it evolved into various spellings, such as Rucker, Rücker, and Ruckert. It gained popularity in certain regions, particularly in Germany and Switzerland, where it was often associated with rural communities and agricultural life.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Rucker. One of the earliest recorded figures was Johannes Ruckert (1462-1531), a renowned German humanist and scholar who made significant contributions to the study of classical literature.
In the 17th century, the name gained prominence with the birth of Georg Ruckert (1605-1668), a German composer and organist who contributed to the development of Protestant church music during the Baroque period.
Moving into the 19th century, Friedrich Ruckert (1788-1866) was a celebrated German poet, translator, and professor, known for his extensive works in both German and Oriental literature.
Another notable figure was Willy Rucker (1876-1970), a German aviator and pioneer in the field of aviation. He held several altitude records and made significant contributions to the advancement of aircraft design in the early 20th century.
In more recent times, the name Rucker has been associated with individuals in various fields, such as the American basketball player Robert Rucker (born 1937), who gained recognition for his skills on the street basketball courts of New York City.
While the name Rucker has its roots in the German language, it has since transcended borders and cultures, with individuals bearing this name leaving their mark in diverse areas, from literature and music to aviation and sports.
People
Rucker + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rucker as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Rucker: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rucker?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 160 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rucker going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 2,142,215 US residents.
Is Rucker a common name?
We classify Rucker as "Very Rare". It ranks above 71.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 193 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rucker most popular?
The single biggest year for Rucker was 2022, when 16 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rucker is about 15 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Rucker a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rucker in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.