Rui
A male given name from Japanese.
Every Rui since 1967 — 972 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Rui
Rui is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,672 in 2025 with 49 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1967, 972 American babies have been named Rui — about 91% boys and 9% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2024, when 71 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
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 Rui stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Rui year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | #9,981 | 49 | #2,672 |
| 2024 | 9 | #10,943 | 62 | #2,307 |
| 2023 | 6 | #14,859 | 47 | #2,764 |
| 2022 | 12 | #8,955 | 42 | #2,988 |
| 2021 | 10 | #10,178 | 34 | #3,411 |
| 2020 | 7 | #13,217 | 30 | #3,637 |
| 2019 | 11 | #9,629 | 21 | #4,774 |
| 2018 | — | — | 18 | #5,271 |
| 2017 | — | — | 13 | #6,600 |
| 2016 | 5 | #18,351 | 18 | #5,282 |
| 2015 | — | — | 19 | #5,020 |
| 2014 | — | — | 19 | #5,025 |
| 2013 | 5 | #18,772 | 18 | #5,131 |
| 2012 | — | — | 10 | #8,026 |
| 2011 | — | — | 27 | #3,873 |
| 2010 | — | — | 13 | #6,632 |
| 2009 | 5 | #19,640 | 9 | #8,860 |
| 2008 | — | — | 24 | #4,239 |
| 2007 | — | — | 19 | #4,948 |
| 2006 | 5 | #19,455 | 18 | #5,028 |
| 2005 | — | — | 9 | #8,168 |
| 2004 | — | — | 7 | #9,740 |
| 2003 | — | — | 12 | #6,181 |
| 2002 | — | — | 10 | #6,952 |
| 2001 | — | — | 8 | #8,162 |
| 2000 | — | — | 7 | #8,951 |
| 1995 | — | — | 7 | #7,650 |
| 1990 | — | — | 9 | #5,728 |
| 1985 | — | — | 7 | #5,653 |
| 1980 | — | — | 15 | #3,072 |
| 1975 | — | — | 21 | #2,190 |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Rui
- Rui Costa Soccer player · b. 1972
- Rui Jordão Soccer player · 1952–2019
- Rui Vitória Soccer player · b. 1970
- Rui Barros Soccer player · b. 1965
- Rui Maria de Araújo Politician · b. 1964
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Rui mean?
A male given name from Japanese.
How popular is the name Rui in 2025?
Rui ranked #2,672 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 49 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Rui?
972 babies have been named Rui in the United States since 1967, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Rui most popular?
Rui peaked in 2024, when 71 newborns received the name.
Is Rui a boy or girl name?
Rui is used for both: about 9% of babies named Rui have been girls and 91% boys.
Is the name Rui rising or falling?
Rui is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Rui?
Well-known people named Rui include Rui Costa (soccer player), Rui Jordão (soccer player), Rui Vitória (soccer player).