Ripp
A name derived from a shortened form of Richard, meaning brave power.
Name Census estimates that about 543 living Americans carry the first name Ripp. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Ripp today is around 4 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ripp births was 2022 (134 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ripp. 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.
People living today
543
~ 1 in 631,223 Americans
Peak year
2022
134 babies that year
Average age
4
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,249
Tracked since 2019
Popularity
Ripp: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ripp from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 521 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ripp 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 Ripp during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Ripps live
The SSA's state-level files cover 22 states and territories. Texas, California, Georgia recorded the most babies named Ripp, while Pennsylvania, New York, Nebraska recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 11 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Ripp
The given name Ripp is believed to have originated from the Old Germanic language, with roots dating back to the 5th century. It is thought to be derived from the word "ripa," meaning "to tear" or "to rip," possibly referring to a warrior's ability to rip through battle lines or a hunter's skill in ripping the flesh of prey.
In ancient Germanic tribes, such as the Franks and the Saxons, the name Ripp was likely bestowed upon newborns as a symbol of strength and bravery. It was a name that carried the weight of honor and respect within these warrior cultures.
While not widely documented in historical texts or religious scriptures, the name Ripp can be found in some early medieval records and chronicles. One notable example is the account of Ripp the Valiant, a Frankish warrior who fought alongside King Clovis I in the late 5th century.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Ripp dates back to the 7th century, when a Frankish nobleman named Ripp of Austrasia was mentioned in the Annales Regni Francorum, a historical record of the Frankish kingdom.
Throughout history, several individuals have borne the name Ripp, though it has remained relatively uncommon. One of the most famous was Ripp von Stein (1475-1542), a German knight and military commander who served under Emperor Charles V during the Italian Wars.
Another notable figure was Ripp Vander Linden (1612-1678), a Dutch explorer and navigator who accompanied Dutch explorer Abel Tasman on his voyages to the South Pacific.
In the 18th century, Ripp Koenig (1738-1810) was a German-born American patriot who fought in the American Revolutionary War and later served as a member of the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
The 19th century saw the birth of Ripp Thornton (1804-1879), a renowned English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Opera House.
Finally, in the 20th century, Ripp Eriksen (1920-2002) was a Norwegian Olympic athlete who competed in the javelin throw and won a silver medal at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London.
People
Ripp + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ripp 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
Ripp: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ripp?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 543 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ripp 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 631,223 US residents.
Is Ripp a common name?
We classify Ripp as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 547 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ripp most popular?
The single biggest year for Ripp was 2022, when 134 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ripp is about 4 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 Ripp in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Ripp a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ripp 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 Ripp still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Ripp 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 Ripp 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 many people share the name Ripp?
Want to know how many Americans are named Ripp? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.