Boy · Latin · New Testament

Rufus

ROO-fus · means “Red haired”

Rufus is a Latin name meaning "red haired." He is likely the son of Simon of Cyrene, the man forced to carry Jesus's cross, and Paul later greets him warmly in Romans as chosen in the Lord, alongside a special word of affection for his mother.

“Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.”

The story behind the name

Mark's Gospel identifies Simon of Cyrene, who was compelled to carry Jesus's cross to Golgotha, as the father of Alexander and Rufus, naming his sons as though the original readers would recognize them (Mark 15:21). It suggests Rufus and his family became known believers in the early church.

Years later, writing to the church in Rome, Paul sends a personal and warm greeting: "Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too" (Romans 16:13). It is a small, tender detail, a family remembered by name for their faithfulness and hospitality.

If this is the same family that once watched Jesus stumble toward Calvary, then Rufus's story is a picture of how a single moment of forced participation in Jesus's suffering became, over time, a whole family's devoted faith. A boy named Rufus carries a name touched by both the cross and the warmth of the early church's fellowship.

Middle names that sing with Rufus

Chosen for rhythm and meanings that speak to each other.

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