Rusty began as an English nickname for someone with "rust-colored" or "red" hair and is also a pet form of Russell, which itself comes from an Old French word for "little red one". It has a casual, all-American ring and was a common name for both boys and dogs in the mid-20th century. Rusty was at number 1625 in 2000 and, after years in the 3000s, has bounced back to number 2384 in 2025.