Originating from the Netherlands, the name Rutger is of Germanic derivation, meaning 'strong spear'. It's composed of the elements 'Hrūd' meaning fame and 'ger' meaning spear. Historically, it was often used in Holland, but has since gained international recognition.
The name Rutger experienced significant popularity during the late 80s and early 90s, with peaks reaching over 20 births per year between 1989 and 1997. However, its popularity started to decline from the mid-90s onwards, dropping below 10 births per year after 1999. By 2015 and later years, the name Rutger was given to fewer than 10 newborns annually, suggesting a considerable decrease in its usage. Overall, between 1987 and 2021, there were a total of 269 births with the name Rutger.