Ralf
Ralph is a male name of English origin, derived from the Old English Rædwulf and Old High German Radulf, cognate with the Old Norse Raðulfr.
Meaning & Origin of Ralf
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Ralph is a male name of English origin, derived from the Old English Rædwulf and Old High German Radulf, cognate with the Old Norse Raðulfr.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Ralf
Ralf first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1920, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1963, when 19 Ralfs were born — ranking #1,839 that year. As of 2026, Ralf ranks #12,301 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 304 Ralfs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Ralf
Phonetically similar names — useful when Ralf is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ralf
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About the name Ralf
Ralf is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1920 and has accumulated 304 births in the dataset. Ralf's peak popularity came in 1963 when it ranked #1,839. Use the chart and map above to compare Ralf's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1963 →
- Names of the 1960s →
- Names starting with "R" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.