Rudolf
Rudolph or Rudolf or Rodolphe is a male first name, and, less commonly, a surname. It is an ancient Germanic name deriving from two stems: Hrōþi, Hruod, Hróðr or Hrōð, meaning "fame", "glory" "honour", "renown", and olf meaning "wolf" (Hrōþiwulfaz).
- German
- Czech
- Slovak
- Hungarian
Meaning & Origin of Rudolf
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Rudolph or Rudolf or Rodolphe is a male first name, and, less commonly, a surname. It is an ancient Germanic name deriving from two stems: Hrōþi, Hruod, Hróðr or Hrōð, meaning "fame", "glory" "honour", "renown", and olf meaning "wolf" (Hrōþiwulfaz).
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- German
- Czech
- Slovak
- Hungarian
- Dutch
- Russian
- Armenian
The Story of Rudolf
Rudolf first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1882, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1927, when 82 Rudolfs were born — ranking #716 that year. As of 2026, Rudolf ranks #10,889 for baby boys with 6 births, gradually falling (-7%). In total, more than 3K Rudolfs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Rudolf
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Rudolf. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Rudolf
Phonetically similar names — useful when Rudolf 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 Rudolf
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About the name Rudolf
Rudolf is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1882 and has accumulated 3K births in the dataset. Rudolf's peak popularity came in 1927 when it ranked #716. Use the chart and map above to compare Rudolf's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1927 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- 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.