Rayfus
A masculine given name of unknown origin, possibly derived from "Rufus".
Name Census estimates that about 32 living Americans carry the first name Rayfus. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Rayfus today is around 70 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rayfus births was 1952 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rayfus. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Rayfus is about 70 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Rayfus' were born before 1966.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Rayfus. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
32
~ 1 in 10,711,073 Americans
Peak year
1952
6 babies that year
Average age
70
years old
1963 SSA rank
#4,495
Tracked since 1951
Popularity
Rayfus: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rayfus from the 1950s through to the 1960s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 32 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1950s peak, Rayfus remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rayfus by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Rayfus during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Rayfus
The name Rayfus is a relatively uncommon given name with origins that can be traced back to ancient Mesopotamia. It is believed to be derived from the Akkadian word "rafsu," which means "the one who sees." This suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals who possessed exceptional vision or insight.
In the early days of human civilization, people often chose names that reflected their hopes or aspirations for their children. The name Rayfus may have been given to a child with the intention of bestowing upon them the gift of perception and wisdom. It is possible that the name was also used to honor individuals who were revered for their keen observations or their ability to understand complex concepts.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Rayfus can be found in ancient cuneiform tablets dating back to the third millennium BCE. These tablets were discovered in the excavations of cities like Ur and Babylon, providing insight into the cultural and linguistic history of the region.
Throughout the ages, several notable individuals have borne the name Rayfus. One such figure was Rayfus of Antioch, a renowned philosopher and scholar who lived in the 5th century CE. He was known for his contributions to the study of logic and metaphysics, and his writings were widely influential during the Byzantine era.
Another noteworthy bearer of the name was Rayfus the Scribe, who lived in the 8th century CE and was renowned for his calligraphic skills. He is credited with creating some of the most beautiful and intricate manuscripts of his time, which have been preserved in various libraries and museums around the world.
In the 12th century, there was a Rayfus ibn al-Haytham, an Arab mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of optics. His work laid the foundation for the development of modern scientific methods and the study of light and vision.
During the Renaissance period, Rayfus Galilei, an Italian scientist and philosopher, was widely celebrated for his groundbreaking discoveries and his unwavering commitment to the pursuit of knowledge. He is best known for his support of the heliocentric model of the solar system, which challenged the prevailing geocentric worldview of the time.
More recently, in the 20th century, Rayfus Soyinka was a Nigerian playwright, poet, and political activist who received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986. His works often explored themes of identity, social justice, and the complexities of post-colonial Africa.
These are just a few examples of the individuals who have carried the name Rayfus throughout history, each contributing to the rich tapestry of human civilization in their own unique way.
People
Rayfus + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rayfus as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Rayfus: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rayfus?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 32 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rayfus going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 10,711,073 US residents.
Is Rayfus a common name?
We classify Rayfus as "Very Rare". It ranks above 47.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 42 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rayfus most popular?
The single biggest year for Rayfus was 1952, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rayfus is about 70 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Rayfus in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Rayfus a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rayfus in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Rayfus still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Rayfus in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Rayfus can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Rayfus?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.