Given name & surname
Rankin
“the little shield”
Rankin is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “the little shield.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One English interpretation is “the little shield.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
How it developed
In English usage, Rankin as a surname is a diminutive of Ronald.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1912. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Rankin through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 340
- 340 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1916
- 12 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 10 in 2024. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for boys was 12 in 1916. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 270 as a first name in 2020; 27,295 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Rankin’s family of names
In English usage, Rankin as a surname is a diminutive of Ronald. Rankin has a related form in Randkin. Rankin has a related form in Randkyn.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 9
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Ronaldfull form · English
- Rankinevariant · English
- Rankvariant
- Randkynvariant
- Randkinvariant
- Rankynevariant
- Rankynnvariant
- Rankynvariant
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Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Similar names
If you love Rankin, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Halton
“from the manor on the hill”
>99% boys
Orrin
“from the river”
>99% boys
Manning
“daughter of Man” · “the son of the man; the son of the hero”
95% boys · 5% girls
Halstead
“from the manor grounds”
>99% boys
Rupert
“one who is bright with fame”
>99% boys
Irwin
“a friend of the wild boar”
>99% boys
Newton
“from the new town”
>99% boys
Hale
“from the hall of light; a heroine” · “from the hall; a hero”
>99% boys