Rudloph
A masculine given name of Germanic origin, from the elements "hruod" (fame) and "wolf" (wolf).
Name Census estimates that about 4 living Americans carry the first name Rudloph. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Rudloph today is around 74 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rudloph births was 1933 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rudloph. 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 Rudloph is about 74 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Rudlophs were born before 1962.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Rudloph. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
4
~ 1 in 85,688,585 Americans
Peak year
1933
5 babies that year
Average age
74
years old
1945 SSA rank
#3,706
Tracked since 1933
Popularity
Rudloph: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rudloph from the 1930s through to the 1940s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1940s, with 5 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
Rudloph 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 Rudloph 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 Rudloph
The given name Rudloph has its origins in the Germanic languages, specifically from the Old High German "hruod" meaning "fame" and "wolf" meaning "wolf". The name can be traced back to the 8th century AD when it was used in medieval Germany and surrounding regions.
The earliest recorded example of the name Rudloph dates back to 786 AD, when it was mentioned in the Codex Sangallensis, a manuscript from the Abbey of Saint Gall in Switzerland. The name gained popularity during the Middle Ages, particularly among the nobility and ruling classes in various parts of Europe.
One of the earliest notable figures with the name Rudloph was Rudloph I, Duke of Burgundy, who ruled from 888 to 912 AD. Another historically significant individual was Rudloph II of Burgundy, who lived from 971 to 1032 and was the last King of Burgundy.
During the Renaissance period, the name Rudloph was associated with several prominent figures, including Rudloph II, Holy Roman Emperor, who reigned from 1576 to 1612. He played a crucial role in the Counter-Reformation and the Thirty Years' War.
In the literary world, the name Rudloph appeared in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's famous play "Faust", where one of the characters was named Rudloph. This work, published in 1808, helped to popularize the name in the 19th century.
Another notable individual with the name Rudloph was Rudloph Virchow, a German physician, anthropologist, and politician who lived from 1821 to 1902. He is renowned for his contributions to the field of cellular pathology and is considered one of the founders of modern pathology.
Throughout history, the name Rudloph has been associated with individuals from various backgrounds, including royalty, writers, scientists, and politicians. While its popularity has fluctuated over time, it remains a name with a rich historical legacy, rooted in the Germanic cultures of medieval Europe.
People
Rudloph + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rudloph 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
Rudloph: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rudloph?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 4 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rudloph 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 85,688,585 US residents.
Is Rudloph a common name?
We classify Rudloph as "Very Rare". It ranks above 6.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rudloph most popular?
The single biggest year for Rudloph was 1933, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rudloph is about 74 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 Rudloph in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Rudloph a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rudloph 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.
Is Rudloph still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Rudloph 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 Rudloph 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 Rudloph?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.