Rus
The word Rus' or Rus referred initially to a group of Scandinavian Vikings, also known as Varangians, who founded the medieval state of Kievan Rus' in Eastern Europe in the 10th century. The term gradually acquired the meaning of the aforementioned dynastic polity itself, and also the geographic region of its heartlands Kiev, Pereiaslavl' and Chernihiv.
Meaning & Origin of Rus
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
The word Rus' or Rus referred initially to a group of Scandinavian Vikings, also known as Varangians, who founded the medieval state of Kievan Rus' in Eastern Europe in the 10th century. The term gradually acquired the meaning of the aforementioned dynastic polity itself, and also the geographic region of its heartlands Kiev, Pereiaslavl' and Chernihiv.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Etymology
The Story of Rus
As a girl name
Rus first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 2008, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2024, when 12 Russ were born — ranking #8,407 that year. As of 2026, Rus ranks #8,407 for girls with 12 births, with steady use. In total, more than 75 Russ have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Rus first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1957, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1960, when 6 Russ were born — ranking #3,665 that year. As of 2026, Rus ranks #3,665 for boys with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 11 Russ have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Rus
Phonetically similar names — useful when Rus 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 Rus
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About the name Rus
Rus is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2008 and has accumulated 75 births in the dataset. Rus's peak popularity came in 2024 when it ranked #8,407. Use the chart and map above to compare Rus's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2024 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "R" →
- Browse all girl 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.