ESC 

Name Rank Total 

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1898

First Year

2026

Last Year

1959

Peak Year

#427

Peak Rank

6K

Total Count

115

Years Active

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## Meaning & Origin of Russ

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures. 

Russ is a masculine given name, often a short form of Russell, and also a surname.

Source: [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russ) (CC BY-SA 3.0). [Read more → ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russ)

### Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

* English

📖

## The Story of Russ

The earliest SSA record of Russ as a baby boy name dates back to 1898, when 6 babies received it. 1959 was its biggest year on record, with 350 newborns named Russ — #427 in the national rankings. About 36% of every Russ on record arrived during the 1960s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Russ ranks #5,777 for baby boys with 16 births, rising sharply (+35% over the past five years). All told, over 6K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1890s to the 2020s.

## Popularity Over Time

## Popularity by State

ME

WA

MT

ND

MN

WI

MI

NY

VT

NH

MA

OR

ID

SD

IA

IL

IN

OH

PA

NJ

CT

RI

CA

NV

WY

NE

MO

KY

WV

VA

MD

DE

DC

UT

CO

KS

AR

TN

NC

SC

AK

AZ

NM

OK

LA

MS

AL

GA

HI

TX

FL

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

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## Variants & Related Forms of Russ

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Russ. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name. 

* [Russell](/russell)

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## Names that sound like Russ

Phonetically similar names — useful when Russ is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name. 

* [Rus](/rus)
* [Rous](/rous)
* Russe
* Aurous
* Rris
* Rhus
* Ris
* Ress
* Riss
* Rys
* Wris
* Risse

Source: [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/). Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated. 

❓

## Frequently Asked Questions about Russ

What does the name Russ mean?

Russ is a masculine given name, often a short form of Russell, and also a surname.

What is the origin of the name Russ?

Russ has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: English.

How popular is Russ in 2026?

In 2026, Russ ranks #5,777 among boys' names in the U.S., with 16 babies given the name that year.

When was Russ most popular?

Russ reached its peak popularity in 1959, ranking #427 that year with 350 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Russ most popular?

Russ has historically been most popular in Wyoming, South Dakota, Washington. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Russ.

Is Russ a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Russ is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Russ?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Russ include Hezekiah, Delmer, Korey. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

What are nicknames or variants of Russ?

Common variants and related forms of Russ include Russell. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

## Similar Names

[👦HezekiahPeak #427](/hezekiah)[👦DelmerPeak #427](/delmer)[👦KoreyPeak #427](/korey)[👦AldenPeak #426](/alden)[👦ArtiePeak #426](/artie)[👦HoytPeak #428](/hoyt)[👦BensonPeak #428](/benson)[👦CarrolPeak #426](/carrol)

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## About the name Russ 

Russ is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1898 and has accumulated 6K births in the dataset. Russ's peak popularity came in 1959 when it ranked #427\. Use the chart and map above to compare Russ's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

### Continue exploring 

* [ Top names of 1959 → ](/year/1959)
* [ Names of the 1950s → ](/decade/1950s)
* [ Names starting with "R" → ](/letter/r)
* [ Browse all boy names → ](/names/boys)
* [ Top names of 2026 → ](/year/2026)

Data sources

* Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. [Social Security Administration ](https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/). 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 ](https://www.behindthename.com/) (used under their public API terms).
* Meaning prose and editorial summary — [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/) article extracts, licensed under [CC BY-SA 3.0 ](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/).
* Predicted nationality distribution — [Nationalize.io ](https://nationalize.io/).
* Phonetically similar names — [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/).

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. 

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