The name Rudy is a diminutive of the name Rudolf, which is a Germanic name that means "famous wolf". The name has been in use since the Middle Ages and was popularized by various European rulers, including Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor.
There have been many famous people named Rudy throughout history, including:
Rudy Giuliani - American politician and attorney who served as the Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001.
Rudy Vallee - American singer, actor, and bandleader who was popular in the 1920s and 1930s.
Rudy Tomjanovich - American former basketball player and coach who led the Houston Rockets to two NBA championships in the 1990s.
Rudy Galindo - American figure skater who won the gold medal at the 1996 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
Rudy Hartono - Indonesian former badminton player who won eight All England Open Badminton Championships and two World Championships.
Rudy Gobert - French professional basketball player who plays for the Utah Jazz in the NBA and has won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award three times.
Rudolf Nureyev - Russian-born ballet dancer who was one of the most celebrated dancers of the 20th century.
Rudolph Valentino - Italian-American actor who was a silent film star in the 1920s.
Rudy Ray Moore - American comedian, musician, and actor who was best known for his character Dolemite in the 1970s blaxploitation films.
Rudy Maxa - American travel journalist and host of the PBS travel series Rudy Maxa's World.
This special day, celebrated each year on February 23rd, is a chance to celebrate the Rudy's in one's life, in addition to learning about the history of this fascinating name.
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