Rudean
A Scots name meaning "of ruddy complexion and curly hair".
Name Census estimates that about 41 living Americans carry the first name Rudean. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Rudean today is around 78 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rudean births was 1952 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rudean. 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.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Rudean is about 78 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Rudeans were born before 1958.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Rudean. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
41
~ 1 in 8,359,862 Americans
Peak year
1952
10 babies that year
Average age
78
years old
1957 SSA rank
#4,839
Tracked since 1924
Popularity
Rudean: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rudean from the 1920s through to the 1950s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1940s, with 33 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rudean 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 Rudean 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 Rudean
The name Rudean finds its origins in the ancient Germanic language, tracing back to the early medieval period around the 5th century AD. It is believed to have derived from the Old Germanic word "hrōþ," which translates to "fame" or "renown." The name was commonly found in various Germanic tribes scattered across central and northern Europe.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rudean can be found in the Codex Burgundus, a compilation of Burgundian laws written in the 6th century AD. The codex mentions a nobleman named Rudean, who was a prominent figure in the court of King Gundobad.
In the 8th century, a Frankish monk named Rudean was renowned for his scholarly work and contributions to the preservation of ancient manuscripts. He is credited with transcribing numerous texts, including works by classical Roman authors, ensuring their survival through the turbulent times of the Dark Ages.
During the Viking Age, a legendary Norse warrior named Rudean is said to have fought alongside the legendary King Ragnar Lodbrok. While the historical accuracy of this figure is debated, stories of his bravery and exploits were passed down through Norse sagas and oral traditions.
In the 11th century, a Bavarian nobleman named Rudean von Regensburg played a pivotal role in the construction of the Regensburg Cathedral, one of the most significant examples of Romanesque architecture in Germany. His patronage and dedication to the project left a lasting impact on the city's cultural heritage.
Another notable figure bearing the name Rudean was a 13th-century Italian friar and philosopher, Rudean of Pisa. He was a prominent member of the Franciscan order and contributed to the development of medieval scholasticism, authoring several treatises on logic and metaphysics.
While the name Rudean may have fallen out of widespread use in modern times, its historical significance and connections to various cultures and time periods make it a fascinating example of the richness and diversity of human nomenclature.
People
Rudean + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rudean 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
Rudean: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rudean?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 41 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rudean 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 8,359,862 US residents.
Is Rudean a common name?
We classify Rudean as "Very Rare". It ranks above 51.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 107 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rudean most popular?
The single biggest year for Rudean was 1952, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rudean is about 78 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Rudean in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Rudean a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rudean in the SSA data are female. 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.
Is Rudean still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Rudean in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Rudean can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Rudean?
Want to know how many Americans are named Rudean? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.