Rui
Rui is a Portuguese male given name, a Japanese unisex name, and a Chinese unisex name component.
- Portuguese
Meaning & Origin of Rui
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Rui is a Portuguese male given name, a Japanese unisex name, and a Chinese unisex name component.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Portuguese
The Story of Rui
As a girl name
American parents first put Rui on the record books as a girl name in 2006, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 12 Ruis were born — ranking #8,535 that year. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 59% of all recorded Ruis. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2024 (9 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 75 Ruis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Rui first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1967, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2026: 66 births, good for #2,227 nationwide. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 36% of all recorded Ruis. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #2,227 among boy names with 66 births, rising sharply (+141% over the past five years). In total, more than 966 Ruis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Rui
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Rui. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Rui
Phonetically similar names — useful when Rui 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 Rui
What does the name Rui mean?
What is the origin of the name Rui?
How popular is Rui in 2026?
When was Rui most popular?
In which U.S. states is Rui most popular?
Is Rui a unisex name?
What names go well with Rui?
What are nicknames or variants of Rui?
About the name Rui
Rui is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1967 and has accumulated 966 births in the dataset. Rui's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #2,050. Use the chart and map above to compare Rui's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2026 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "R" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.