Meaning and history
Rudi is a German, Dutch, Slovene, Croatian, and other European short form of Rudolf and related names. Rudolf combines Germanic elements meaning “fame” and “wolf,” traditionally interpreted as “famous wolf.” It was borne by medieval rulers and by Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria. Rudi is often used independently. Notable bearers include German cyclist Rudi Altig and Austrian footballer and coach Rudi Hiden.
20062006: 12 births, rank #9,286
2007: 10 births, rank #10,818
2008: 7 births, rank #13,832
2009: 5 births, rank #17,294
2010: no US SSA record for this spelling
20112011: no US SSA record for this spelling
2012: no US SSA record for this spelling
2013: 6 births, rank #14,582
2014: 5 births, rank #16,513
2015: 7 births, rank #13,006
20162016: 9 births, rank #10,859
2017: 7 births, rank #12,713
2018: 9 births, rank #10,545
2019: 10 births, rank #9,736
2020: 14 births, rank #7,559
20212021: 19 births, rank #6,174
2022: 13 births, rank #8,032
2023: 8 births, rank #11,169
2024: 17 births, rank #6,642
20252025: 10 births, rank #9,457
In 2025, 10 babies were recorded with the name Rudi, ranking #9,457 among girls.