Meaning & Origin
A male given name.
Rusty is a boy's and girl's baby name of Old English origin, a nickname name from the word rust, traditionally given to red-haired boys — from the Old English rūst, referring to the reddish-brown color of iron oxide.
Rusty has a warm, easygoing Americana feel — the kind of name you'd give a freckled boy growing up on a farm or near the water. With over 17,000 recorded births in the U.S., it has genuine nostalgic depth. Actor Rusty Joiner and TV's National Lampoon Griswolds gave it cultural footholds across generations.