Meaning & Origin
A diminutive of the male given name Rudolph.
Rudy is a boy's and girl's baby name of German origin, a diminutive of Rudolph, from the Old High German Hrodulf, composed of hrod (fame) and wulf (wolf), meaning "famous wolf." It has been used as a given name in its own right since the early 20th century.
With nearly 50,000 U.S. births recorded, Rudy has a warm, working-class charm. The 1993 film Rudy — about walk-on Notre Dame football player Rudy Ruettiger — gave the name an underdog, never-give-up spirit that resonates deeply with American families.