Ralph is a boy name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Ralph means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Ralph across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Ralph has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Ralph is a boy name of Germanic origin meaning “wolf counsel”. introduced to England by the Normans and Scandinavians.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 415,858 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 8,741 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 332 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 81 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 294 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Ralph per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1921 (8,902/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2019 (748/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1977 (20/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2019 (13/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2020 (10/yr).
Ralph has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1921, when it ranked #47 nationally (given to 8,902 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1920s.
Ralf · Ralpha · Rolph · Ralphe · Ralphy · Ralphie · Ralphi · Ralfie
Not sure if it's the one? The best way to know is to see if your partner loves it too. Swipe baby names with your partner and match on the ones you both ❤️, free, no account needed to start.
Find your name together →