Rustin
Boy name · #2266 in 2025 · Uniqueness 66/100
In 2025, 62 baby boys were named Rustin, placing it at #2266 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2412, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 29,032 boys born in 2025 was named Rustin.
The 76-year story
Rustin first appears in the Social Security records in 1949, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1979, when 87 boys were named Rustin — good for #945 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Rustin per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Rustin against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Rustin in class?
Rustin scores 66 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Rustin is most common
State-level data for Rustin is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Rustin
Statistically, parents drawn to Rustin tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Jamin, Antwan, Reggie, Alain, and Quintin.
JaminAntwanReggieAlainQuintinDustinQuentinEfrain
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Rustin | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 62 | #2258 |
| 2024 | 57 | #2418 |
| 2023 | 44 | #2848 |
| 2022 | 50 | #2648 |
| 2021 | 44 | #2819 |
| 2020 | 51 | #2505 |
| 2019 | 52 | #2525 |
| 2018 | 55 | #2385 |
| 2017 | 43 | #2798 |
| 2016 | 47 | #2626 |
| 2015 | 53 | #2412 |
| 2014 | 48 | #2542 |
| 2013 | 45 | #2623 |
| 2012 | 31 | #3450 |
| 2011 | 40 | #2904 |
| 2010 | 24 | #4099 |
| 2009 | 30 | #3551 |
| 2008 | 36 | #3165 |
| 2007 | 32 | #3379 |
| 2006 | 34 | #3153 |
| 2005 | 23 | #3941 |
| 2004 | 24 | #3735 |
| 2003 | 30 | #3119 |
| 2002 | 32 | #2882 |
| 2001 | 27 | #3228 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Rustin a popular boy name?
Rustin ranked #2266 among boys in 2025 with 62 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2412.
When was the name Rustin most popular?
Rustin peaked in 1979, when 87 American boys received the name (ranked #945 that year). Since 1979 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Rustin?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 29,032 newborn American boys was named Rustin. It scores 66/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.