Rutger
Rutger is a male given name common in the Netherlands, and a cognate of the first name Roger.
- Dutch
Meaning & Origin of Rutger
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Rutger is a male given name common in the Netherlands, and a cognate of the first name Roger.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Dutch
The Story of Rutger
Rutger first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1987, with 10 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1993, when 23 Rutgers were born — ranking #2,943 that year. As of 2026, Rutger ranks #12,141 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 269 Rutgers have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Rutger
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Rutger. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Rogier
Notable people named Rutger
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Ruotger (died 931), archbishop of Trier
- Rutger I of Cleves [ de ; fr ; nl ] ( c. 975 – 1050), First Duke of Cleves
- Rutger II of Cleves [ de ; fr ; nl ] (died 1075), Second Duke of Cleves
- Rutger von Ascheberg (1621–1693), Swedish cavalry officer and civil servant, one of the principal commanders of Scanian War
- Rutger Backe (born 1951), Swedish footballer
- Rutger Beke (born 1977), Belgian triathlete
- Rutger Bregman (born 1988), Dutch historian
- Rutger Castricum (born 1979), Dutch journalist and presenter
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Rutger
Phonetically similar names — useful when Rutger is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Roettger
- Rugger
- Rutgers
- Rutter
- Retire
- Rigor
- Rigger
- Ritter
- Rigueur
- Retter
- Rhetor
- Regar
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Rutger
What does the name Rutger mean?
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How popular is Rutger in 2026?
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In which U.S. states is Rutger most popular?
Is Rutger a unisex name?
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What are nicknames or variants of Rutger?
About the name Rutger
Rutger is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1987 and has accumulated 269 births in the dataset. Rutger's peak popularity came in 1993 when it ranked #2,943. Use the chart and map above to compare Rutger's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1993 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- 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.