Name meaning & stats
Rudolf
Rudolf means “fame” (Germanic origin). 1,450 US babies since 1940, peak 1952. Notable Rudolfs are 2.2× over-represented as professors.
What it means
“fame”
GermanicSpelling of Rudolph
In US birth records
Peak year: 1952
1,450 US babies were named Rudolf between 1940 and 2025.
Rudolf around the world
- England & Wales: 60 babies since 1996, peak 2018, No. 4,213 in 2025
- France: 445 babies since 1900, peak 1971
- Norway: 180 babies since 1945, peak 1945
From official birth registries. Sources are listed on About the data.
Where Rudolfs end up
| Career | vs expected | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Professor | 2.2× | High · 170 people |
| Politician | 0.9× | High · 125 people |
| Footballer | 0.6× | High · 85 people |
| Writer | 1.0× | High · 58 people |
Among notable men who are professors, Rudolfs show up 2.2× as often as you'd expect from how common the name is.
Notable people of every nationality born 1940–2005 (Wikidata). Patterns, not destiny.
One more thing…
Rudolfs are 2.3× more likely than expected to be physicists.
The surprise career: High confidence · 34 notable people.
Other spellings
1 in 17 Rudolphs spell it Rudolf
Names that sound the same, grouped by Heyotag. Share of US babies since 1940.
Name twins (peaked around 1952)