Ralf
Every Ralf since 1920 — 304 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Ralf
Ralf is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1920, 304 American babies have been named Ralf. Its peak came in 1963, when 19 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Ralf stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Ralf year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | 5 | #13,774 |
| 2023 | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — |
| 2015 | 5 | #13,582 |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — |
| 1980 | 5 | #7,043 |
| 1975 | 5 | #6,108 |
| 1970 | 5 | #5,264 |
| 1965 | 14 | #2,244 |
| 1960 | 11 | #2,651 |
| 1955 | 6 | #3,797 |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | 7 | #2,938 |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | 5 | #4,436 |
| 1925 | 8 | #3,335 |
| 1920 | 8 | #3,429 |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Ralf
- Ralf Dahrendorf Political scientist · 1929–2009
- Ralf Rangnick Coach · b. 1958
- Ralf Hütter Musician · b. 1946
- Ralf Schumacher Racing driver · b. 1975
- Ralf Moeller Actor · b. 1959
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Ralf in 2025?
Ralf did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Ralf?
304 babies have been named Ralf in the United States since 1920, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Ralf most popular?
Ralf peaked in 1963, when 19 newborns received the name.
Is Ralf a boy or girl name?
Ralf is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Ralf rising or falling?
Ralf has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Ralf?
Well-known people named Ralf include Ralf Dahrendorf (political scientist), Ralf Rangnick (coach), Ralf Hütter (musician).