Rusty is of American origin, derived from the word 'rust,' referring to the reddish oxide that forms on iron when it's exposed to air and moisture. It gained popularity as a given name in the mid-20th century, often used as a nickname for boys named Russell.
The name Rusty has had a varied popularity over the years with peaks in certain decades. The highest number of births recorded was 23 in 1970, and there were noticeable spikes again in the late 70s to early 80s with numbers like 22 (1975), 27 (1976), and 29 (1979). However, from 1984 onwards, the popularity of the name Rusty has significantly decreased, with fewer than 13 births per year since then. The total number of births recorded over this period is 557.