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Home › Baby Names Directory › Ruffin

Ruffin

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Ruffin

Pronounced RUF-in /ˈrʌf.ɪn/Medium

Meaning: Ruffin is a French and English surname derived from Rufinus, a diminutive of the Latin Rufus, 'red, red-haired'; borne by early saints named Rufinus, it later became a given name, chiefly in the American South.Low

In 30 seconds: Ruffin is a surname from the Latin Rufus, 'red-haired,' used as a first name. It stayed rare in the United States, peaking early around 1916 (said RUF-in).
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Origin MediumFrench, Latin
MeaningRuffin is a French and English surname derived from Rufinus, a diminutive of the Latin Rufus, 'red, red-haired'; borne by early saints named Rufinus, it later became a given name, chiefly in the American South.
U.S. rank (2013)#13684 ↗ Rising
2013 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1916
Total births (all-time)≈ 555

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 191618862013

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Ruffin is a French and English surname from Rufinus, a form of the Latin Rufus, 'red-haired,' and the name of early saints. It became a Southern given name and appears mostly in the early twentieth century.

Ruffin was never common as a first name, given to only about twenty boys a year at its peak around 1916, and it stays rare. It has a firm, old-Southern surname character.

Did you know? Ruffin traces to the Latin Rufus, 'red-haired,' by way of the saint's name Rufinus; the same root colors the words rufous and ruddy.
Overall data confidence 50%
References - Ruffin — French/English surname from Rufinus/Rufus (Latin 'red-haired')

Variations

RuffusRufinRufus

Nicknames

RuffRufe

Famous Bearers

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If you like Ruffin…

Rufus— the Latin root name
Griffin— a like -in surname name
Rankin— a like vintage -in surname name
Rubin— shares Ruffin's Latin roots
Rodin— echoes that soft -in sound

Explore names like Ruffin

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Ruffin mean?

It is a French and English surname from Rufus, the Latin for 'red' or 'red-haired.'

How do you pronounce Ruffin?

It is said RUF-in /ˈrʌf.ɪn/, two syllables with the stress on the first.

Is Ruffin a boy or girl name?

Ruffin is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Ruffin?

It has always been rare in the United States as a first name, given to only about twenty boys a year at its peak in the mid nineteen-tens.

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