Rustan
An English variant of the Russian name "Ruslan", derived from Russian "rus" meaning fair-haired or blond.
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Rustan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Rustan today is around 48 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rustan births was 1977 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rustan. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Rustan. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
1977
6 babies that year
Average age
48
years old
1982 SSA rank
#7,168
Tracked since 1977
Popularity
Rustan: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rustan from the 1970s through to the 1980s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 6 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
Rustan 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 Rustan 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 Rustan
The name Rustan is believed to have originated in Iran or Central Asia, specifically in the Persian language. It is a variation of the Persian name Rustam, which is derived from the Old Persian word "rsta" meaning "robust" or "strong."
The earliest known reference to the name Rustan can be found in the epic poem Shahnameh, written by the Persian poet Ferdowsi in the late 10th century CE. In this poem, Rustam is depicted as a legendary hero and a warrior of immense strength and bravery. His exploits and adventures are described in great detail, solidifying the name's association with valor and prowess.
One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the name Rustan was Rustan Akhtah, a Turkic military commander who lived in the 11th century CE. He served under the Seljuk Empire and played a significant role in the conquest of parts of modern-day Iran and Iraq.
In the 12th century, a notable figure named Rustan ibn Murad al-Hasani emerged as a prominent poet and scholar in the Seljuk court. His works, which included poetry and treatises on philosophy and ethics, contributed to the intellectual and literary culture of the time.
During the Mongol Empire, a famous warrior named Rustan Bahadur Khan rose to prominence in the 13th century. He was a member of the Jalayir clan and served as a general under Kublai Khan, playing a crucial role in the Mongol conquest of Persia and parts of Central Asia.
In the 16th century, Rustan Pasha was a notable Ottoman statesman and military commander. He served as the Grand Vizier (chief advisor) to Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and played a crucial role in the administration of the Ottoman Empire during its golden age.
Another historical figure bearing the name Rustan was Rustan Khodja, a prominent Uzbek nobleman and military leader who lived in the 16th century. He played a significant role in the political and military struggles that shaped the Shaybanid dynasty in Central Asia.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the name Rustan, highlighting its rich cultural heritage and association with strength, valor, and leadership across various regions and time periods.
People
Rustan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rustan 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
Rustan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rustan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rustan 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 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Rustan a common name?
We classify Rustan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 11 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rustan most popular?
The single biggest year for Rustan was 1977, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rustan is about 48 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 Rustan in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Rustan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rustan 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 Rustan still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Rustan 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 Rustan 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 have the name Rustan?
If you just want to know how many Americans are named Rustan, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.