Declining since 2013, #8,243 for boys today.
Popularity of Rutledge since 1913
Babies named Rutledge per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 24 |
| 1920s | 28 |
| 1930s | 17 |
| 1940s | 7 |
| 1950s | 6 |
| 1960s | 0 |
| 1970s | 16 |
| 1980s | 5 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 154 |
| 2020s | 67 |
Meaning & origin
Rutledge first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1913 and saw a slow, modest rise in use over the century. Its peak year was 2014, when it ranked about 4,000th. Since 2013, use has been declining, and in 2025 it ranked 8,243rd with 1 in 189,786 male births. The name reflects the American tradition of repurposing distinguished surnames as first names, though it has never caught on widely.
Rutledge is transferred from an English surname, derived from a place name composed of Old English 'rūd' meaning 'clearing' or 'red' and 'læc' meaning 'stream' or maybe 'hrycg' meaning 'ridge'. The surname originally referred to someone who lived near a red ledge or a root-covered ridge. As a given name, it emerged in the United States in the early 20th century, following a trend of using surnames as first names.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Rut, Ridge
Variants: Rutledge
Sibling names for Rutledge
Names that share Rutledge's style, for a brother or sister.
