ESC 

Name Rank Total 

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1934

First Year

2024

Last Year

1979

Peak Year

#2931

Peak Rank

565

Total Count

48

Years Active

🌍

## Meaning & Origin of Rusty

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

Rusty is a name with a single cultural origin: English.

Origin data from [Behind the Name ](https://www.behindthename.com/). 

### Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

* English

📖

## The Story of Rusty

Rusty first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1927, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1961, when 576 Rustys were born — ranking #328 that year. As of 2026, Rusty ranks #3,203 for baby boys with 38 births, rising sharply (+16% over the past five years). In total, more than 18K Rustys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through 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

🎶

## Names that sound like Rusty

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

* Resty
* Wristy
* Uresti
* Arrestee
* Roasty
* Rosti
* Rasti
* Resto
* [Arista](/arista)
* Aristo
* Rista
* Resta

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

❓

## Frequently Asked Questions about Rusty

What does the name Rusty mean?

Rusty is a name with a single cultural origin: English.

What is the origin of the name Rusty?

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

How popular is Rusty in 2026?

In 2026, Rusty ranks #3,203 among boys' names in the U.S., with 38 babies given the name that year.

When was Rusty most popular?

Rusty reached its peak popularity in 1961, ranking #328 that year with 576 babies given the name.

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

Rusty has historically been most popular in Wyoming, Montana, Oklahoma. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Rusty.

Is Rusty a unisex name?

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

What names go well with Rusty?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Rusty include Dudley, Vance, Ari. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

## Similar Names

[👧AlliciaPeak #2931](/allicia)[👧ChiffonPeak #2931](/chiffon)[👧LashonnaPeak #2931](/lashonna)[👧SmanthaPeak #2931](/smantha)[👧TameshiaPeak #2931](/tameshia)[👧LeighannaPeak #2931](/leighanna)[👧ShemicaPeak #2931](/shemica)[👧StepfaniePeak #2931](/stepfanie)

## About the name Rusty 

Rusty is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1927 and has accumulated 18K births in the dataset. Rusty's peak popularity came in 1961 when it ranked #328\. Use the chart and map above to compare Rusty's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

### Continue exploring 

* [ Top names of 1961 → ](/year/1961)
* [ Names of the 1960s → ](/decade/1960s)
* [ 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.