Hunter vs Rufus

Hunter and Rufuscompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.

Head to head

Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.

England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Hunter was ranked #78 and Rufus #422 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2013, Hunter was ranked #479 and Rufus #711 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Hunter and Rufus over time

Hunter and Rufus appear together in 1 published list, across 29 years of shared records. Rufus held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Hunter in 0.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Rufus reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Hunter in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.

Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.

List by list

England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Hunter held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Rufus in 17.
Highest recorded here: Hunter #44 in 2018, Rufus #236 in 2012.
The order changed in 2013: Hunter moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #238 and #236; by 2013 that had become #211 and #237.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Hunter #78, Rufus #422.

Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Hunter

Pairs where Hunter shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Noah vs Hunter
In 2017, Noah moved ahead of Hunter in New Zealand · Boys — #7 and #6 the year before became #3 and #5.
Noah · Hunter · 23 shared years, 2001–2023 · One moved ahead of the other
See the 2017 New Zealand ranking
Leo vs Hunter
In 2018, Leo moved ahead of Hunter in New Zealand · Boys — #11 and #5 the year before became #4 and #5.
Leo · Hunter · 21 shared years, 2003–2023 · One moved ahead of the other
See the 2018 New Zealand ranking
Jacob vs Hunter
In 2015, Hunter moved ahead of Jacob in New Zealand · Boys — #10 and #12 the year before became #10 and #7.
Jacob · Hunter · 25 shared years, 1999–2023 · One moved ahead of the other
See the 2015 New Zealand ranking
Lucas vs Hunter
Across 23 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Lucas and Hunter averaged 10.3 places apart, ending at #16 and #36.
Lucas · Hunter · 23 shared years, 2001–2023 · Closest over the longest run
See the 2023 New Zealand ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Hunter, Rufus
Field	Hunter	Rufus
Record type	Editorially researched profile	Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usage	male	male
Meaning	An English occupational surname, from Old English 'hunta'/'huntian' ('to hunt') — someone who hunted for a living.	Not yet recorded
Origin	English, an occupational surname describing someone who hunted	Not yet recorded
Pronunciation	/ˈhʌn.təɹ/	Not yet recorded
Syllables	2	2
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ	GB-ENW, IE
Most recent popularity observation	New South Wales, Australia · Boys #60 (2025)	England and Wales · Boys #422 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	90/100	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	88/100	94/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	60/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Hunter has a recorded origin (English, an occupational surname describing someone who hunted); Rufus does not have one recorded yet.
Hunter and Rufus both have 2 syllables.
A meaning is recorded for Hunter; Rufus doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.

How each name got here

Hunter

Popularity journey

First recorded1996
First recorded at #2357 among boys in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded1999–2023
Highest recorded position: #5 among boys in New Zealand, in 2017 (recorded 1999–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #60 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys

Rufus

Popularity journey

First recorded1996
First recorded at #552 among boys in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #236 among boys in England and Wales, in 2012 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #422 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys