Ruud

The first name Ruud is a male name that carries the meanings 'the glorious wolf', 'the famous wolf', and 'the honorable wolf'. It represents a Dutch variant of the German names Rolf and Rudolf.

What does the name Ruud mean?

Ruud, a male first name, translates to 'the glorious wolf', 'the famous wolf', and 'the honorable wolf'. It is a Dutch derivation of the German names Rolf, Rudolf, as well as Rodolf or Roelof. The name has its roots in Old High German, where it is composed of the terms hruod for 'glory' or 'honor' and wolf for 'wolf'. There is also the possibility that Ruud is a variant of the name Rud, which is derived from an ancient Norwegian family name. Since the 1980s, there has been a continuous decline in the popularity of this name. Current statistics from the Netherlands show its rarity: from 1985 to 1989, 1,436 boys were registered as Ruud, while in the years 1990 to 1994, there were only 771. In the years 1995 to 1999, there were 329, followed by 175 between 2000 and 2004. In 2006, 18 boys were given the name Ruud, in 2007 there were 21, and in 2008 only 11. Ruud has many variants, including Hruodolf, Hrodulf, and Hruodulf (in Old High German), as well as numerous international forms like Rudolph (English), Rudolfo (Italian), Rudolphe (French), and many more. Short forms include Rul (German), Rolff (Danish), and Rufo (Spanish), while pet forms like Rudi, Rudy, and Rolfi are common.

Where does the name Ruud come from?

The name Ruud has its roots in Old High German and stands for meanings like 'the glorious wolf' or 'the honorable wolf'. The word parts consist of hruod, which means 'glory' or 'honor', and wolf, which means 'wolf'. It belongs to the Dutch language.

How do you pronounce Ruud?

The pronunciation of the name Ruud is monosyllabic and strongly vowel-based. The sound 'Ruud' [ryːt] features a long, stressed ü sound, giving the name a clear and focused sound base. The ending of the name is short and concise, preventing the sound from becoming diluted. Ruud thus presents itself as reduced and striking - clear, concentrated, and with a cool, controlled presence.

When is the name day of Ruud?

The name days for Ruud are celebrated on April 17, June 26, July 15, and November 6.

Popularity

Ruud is considered a rare first name in Germany. In 2023, it ranked 5,488th on the list of most common male first names. Its best placement was in 2008 at 1,535th. In the last ten years, Ruud has been given as a first name less than 10 times, placing it 7,739th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 8,916th.

Famous people

• Alexander Ruud Tveter (Norwegian football player)
• Ruud Adrianus Jolie (guitarist (Within Temptation))
• Ruud Bosch (badminton player from the Netherlands)
• Ruud Boymans (Dutch football player)
• Ruud Brink (jazz musician from the Netherlands)
• Ruud Bruns (Dutch footballer)
• Ruud Degenaar (football player from the Netherlands)
• Ruud Geels (Dutch football player)
• Ruud Hesp (footballer from the Netherlands)
• Ruud Heus (Dutch football player)
• Ruud Jacobs (jazz musician from the Netherlands)
• Ruud Janssen (Dutch chess player)
• Ruud Kaiser (Dutch footballer)
• Ruud Knol (Dutch football player)
• Ruud Kuijer (Dutch sculptor)
• Ruud Kuijten (Dutch badminton player)
• Ruud Misdorp (Dutch water polo player)
• Ruud Nijman (cricketer from the Netherlands)
• Ruud Pronk (jazz musician from the Netherlands)
• Ruud Stokvis (Dutch racing rower)