Fun Facts About the Name Rodney
- An established favorite: Rodney held a place in the U.S. top 100 for 32 consecutive years, from 1946 through 1977.
- More than 248 thousand babies named Rodney: U.S. records list 248,324 babies given the name Rodney from 1880 through 2025. Even 1,175 girls received the name Rodney - about 1 girl for every 210 boys.
What Does the Name Rodney Mean?
Rodney is an English given name and surname. It comes from a place name in Somerset, England, usually explained as Old English Hroda + īeg (or ēg), meaning "Hroda's island." The first element is an Old English personal name, Hroda or Hrotha, formed from hrōð, "fame" or "glory." The second element, īeg, means "island"; in place names it could also refer to dry land in a marsh. The literal sense is therefore "Hroda's island," and because the personal name behind it carries the idea of fame, a common looser interpretation is "famous one's island." The exact form of the first element is not certain.
Rodney Name History & Origins
The surname Rodney is a habitational name from Rodney Stoke in Somerset. The place is recorded in Domesday Book (1086) as Rodenie. The Rodney family, who took their name from the place, held the manor of Rodney Stoke from the 12th century. As a first name, Rodney is a transferred use of that surname. It was uncommon before the 18th century. Admiral George Brydges Rodney (1718 - 1792), a British naval commander, made the surname widely known; his victory at the Battle of the Saintes in 1782 was celebrated in Britain. The given name became more established in the 18th and 19th centuries in English-speaking countries. Short forms include Rod and Roddy.
How Popular is the Name Rodney?
Rodney remained among the top 100 boy names in the U.S. from 1946 to 1977. Its highest annual birth count was in 1965, and people born that year turn 61 in 2026.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #10,556 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1994 | #13,043 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #10,245 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1991 | #12,728 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #11,097 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1989 | #6,856 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1988 | #7,549 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1987 | #5,544 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1986 | #4,685 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1985 | #4,411 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1984 | #4,130 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1983 | #4,076 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1982 | #6,255 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1981 | #3,316 | 26 | 0.0016% |
| 1980 | #3,394 | 25 | 0.0015% |
| 1979 | #4,374 | 17 | 0.0011% |
| 1978 | #3,885 | 19 | 0.0012% |
| 1977 | #2,825 | 29 | 0.0019% |
| 1976 | #2,469 | 33 | 0.0023% |
| 1975 | #2,554 | 31 | 0.0021% |
| 1974 | #2,380 | 33 | 0.0022% |
| 1973 | #2,727 | 26 | 0.0018% |
| 1972 | #2,572 | 28 | 0.0018% |
| 1971 | #1,870 | 47 | 0.0028% |
| 1970 | #2,231 | 36 | 0.0021% |
| 1969 | #1,828 | 46 | 0.0027% |
| 1968 | #1,770 | 45 | 0.0027% |
| 1967 | #1,721 | 45 | 0.0027% |
| 1966 | #1,583 | 51 | 0.0030% |
| 1965 | #1,665 | 46 | 0.0026% |
| 1964 | #2,592 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 1963 | #2,410 | 26 | 0.0013% |
| 1962 | #2,586 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 1961 | #2,189 | 30 | 0.0015% |
| 1960 | #2,289 | 27 | 0.0013% |
| 1959 | #2,959 | 17 | 0.0008% |
| 1958 | #2,367 | 24 | 0.0012% |
| 1957 | #3,882 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1956 | #2,606 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 1955 | #3,069 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1954 | #3,129 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1953 | #2,792 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1952 | #4,403 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1951 | #3,075 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1950 | #3,904 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1949 | #4,574 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1948 | #3,105 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1947 | #4,271 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1946 | #3,927 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1945 | #3,343 | 9 | 0.0007% |
| 1944 | #2,490 | 14 | 0.0011% |
| 1943 | #5,242 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1942 | #4,047 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1941 | #3,883 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1940 | #3,792 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1939 | #3,364 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1936 | #3,648 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1931 | #2,555 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1930 | #3,983 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1929 | #5,160 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1928 | #4,116 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1927 | #4,207 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1926 | #4,749 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1925 | #5,633 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1922 | #4,917 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1918 | #5,452 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,093 | 197 | 0.0115% |
| 2024 | #1,085 | 200 | 0.0117% |
| 2023 | #1,146 | 183 | 0.0107% |
| 2022 | #988 | 228 | 0.0131% |
| 2021 | #961 | 234 | 0.0134% |
| 2020 | #864 | 262 | 0.0152% |
| 2019 | #854 | 262 | 0.0146% |
| 2018 | #821 | 273 | 0.0150% |
| 2017 | #782 | 301 | 0.0163% |
| 2016 | #719 | 341 | 0.0180% |
| 2015 | #716 | 347 | 0.0181% |
| 2014 | #697 | 357 | 0.0186% |
| 2013 | #629 | 392 | 0.0207% |
| 2012 | #594 | 430 | 0.0227% |
| 2011 | #554 | 461 | 0.0243% |
| 2010 | #549 | 460 | 0.0240% |
| 2009 | #494 | 554 | 0.0279% |
| 2008 | #503 | 545 | 0.0267% |
| 2007 | #438 | 639 | 0.0308% |
| 2006 | #447 | 606 | 0.0295% |
| 2005 | #447 | 579 | 0.0290% |
| 2004 | #432 | 602 | 0.0303% |
| 2003 | #379 | 688 | 0.0348% |
| 2002 | #370 | 714 | 0.0368% |
| 2001 | #358 | 740 | 0.0381% |
| 2000 | #342 | 799 | 0.0407% |
| 1999 | #321 | 868 | 0.0452% |
| 1998 | #319 | 866 | 0.0453% |
| 1997 | #280 | 995 | 0.0528% |
| 1996 | #267 | 1,055 | 0.0557% |
| 1995 | #256 | 1,099 | 0.0577% |
| 1994 | #244 | 1,183 | 0.0612% |
| 1993 | #225 | 1,309 | 0.0667% |
| 1992 | #210 | 1,477 | 0.0739% |
| 1991 | #198 | 1,560 | 0.0772% |
| 1990 | #181 | 1,710 | 0.0833% |
| 1989 | #177 | 1,737 | 0.0868% |
| 1988 | #162 | 1,730 | 0.0904% |
| 1987 | #171 | 1,596 | 0.0855% |
| 1986 | #166 | 1,629 | 0.0885% |
| 1985 | #168 | 1,621 | 0.0877% |
| 1984 | #165 | 1,626 | 0.0901% |
| 1983 | #161 | 1,694 | 0.0945% |
| 1982 | #145 | 1,946 | 0.1072% |
| 1981 | #135 | 2,029 | 0.1133% |
| 1980 | #121 | 2,266 | 0.1270% |
| 1979 | #117 | 2,299 | 0.1335% |
| 1978 | #102 | 2,555 | 0.1556% |
| 1977 | #97 | 2,703 | 0.1645% |
| 1976 | #88 | 2,984 | 0.1902% |
| 1975 | #76 | 3,584 | 0.2295% |
| 1974 | #72 | 3,849 | 0.2448% |
| 1973 | #68 | 4,059 | 0.2604% |
| 1972 | #65 | 4,363 | 0.2690% |
| 1971 | #59 | 5,195 | 0.2937% |
| 1970 | #55 | 5,856 | 0.3151% |
| 1969 | #49 | 6,670 | 0.3730% |
| 1968 | #42 | 7,508 | 0.4320% |
| 1967 | #37 | 8,438 | 0.4839% |
| 1966 | #35 | 10,269 | 0.5758% |
| 1965 | #33 | 11,086 | 0.5959% |
| 1964 | #59 | 6,073 | 0.3048% |
| 1963 | #76 | 5,190 | 0.2556% |
| 1962 | #76 | 5,434 | 0.2627% |
| 1961 | #72 | 5,660 | 0.2665% |
| 1960 | #68 | 5,864 | 0.2751% |
| 1959 | #67 | 5,915 | 0.2771% |
| 1958 | #65 | 5,865 | 0.2764% |
| 1957 | #70 | 5,863 | 0.2718% |
| 1956 | #65 | 6,075 | 0.2872% |
| 1955 | #65 | 6,048 | 0.2936% |
| 1954 | #66 | 5,959 | 0.2923% |
| 1953 | #58 | 6,536 | 0.3314% |
| 1952 | #84 | 4,403 | 0.2265% |
| 1951 | #84 | 4,297 | 0.2282% |
| 1950 | #88 | 3,856 | 0.2154% |
| 1949 | #87 | 3,826 | 0.2157% |
| 1948 | #92 | 3,466 | 0.1975% |
| 1947 | #94 | 3,564 | 0.1948% |
| 1946 | #93 | 3,304 | 0.2034% |
| 1945 | #105 | 2,185 | 0.1624% |
| 1944 | #123 | 1,781 | 0.1307% |
| 1943 | #118 | 1,984 | 0.1390% |
| 1942 | #121 | 1,788 | 0.1295% |
| 1941 | #127 | 1,551 | 0.1263% |
| 1940 | #133 | 1,397 | 0.1205% |
| 1939 | #122 | 1,446 | 0.1306% |
| 1938 | #133 | 1,301 | 0.1173% |
| 1937 | #151 | 1,026 | 0.0962% |
| 1936 | #152 | 1,009 | 0.0973% |
| 1935 | #149 | 1,027 | 0.0986% |
| 1934 | #160 | 929 | 0.0900% |
| 1933 | #173 | 783 | 0.0790% |
| 1932 | #172 | 829 | 0.0794% |
| 1931 | #187 | 706 | 0.0679% |
| 1930 | #208 | 639 | 0.0582% |
| 1929 | #233 | 539 | 0.0501% |
| 1928 | #223 | 589 | 0.0532% |
| 1927 | #236 | 562 | 0.0499% |
| 1926 | #256 | 482 | 0.0434% |
| 1925 | #271 | 447 | 0.0401% |
| 1924 | #290 | 397 | 0.0350% |
| 1923 | #286 | 389 | 0.0355% |
| 1922 | #278 | 400 | 0.0368% |
| 1921 | #298 | 361 | 0.0328% |
| 1920 | #304 | 353 | 0.0332% |
| 1919 | #313 | 315 | 0.0321% |
| 1918 | #369 | 253 | 0.0250% |
| 1917 | #363 | 234 | 0.0253% |
| 1916 | #350 | 237 | 0.0266% |
| 1915 | #349 | 235 | 0.0277% |
| 1914 | #337 | 189 | 0.0289% |
| 1913 | #365 | 131 | 0.0256% |
| 1912 | #417 | 88 | 0.0205% |
| 1911 | #360 | 59 | 0.0261% |
| 1910 | #477 | 34 | 0.0175% |
| 1909 | #529 | 25 | 0.0152% |
| 1908 | #487 | 27 | 0.0175% |
| 1907 | #632 | 17 | 0.0116% |
| 1906 | #406 | 29 | 0.0218% |
| 1905 | #520 | 20 | 0.0151% |
| 1904 | #676 | 13 | 0.0101% |
| 1903 | #650 | 13 | 0.0109% |
| 1902 | #502 | 19 | 0.0155% |
| 1901 | #719 | 10 | 0.0094% |
| 1900 | #530 | 21 | 0.0140% |
| 1899 | #451 | 18 | 0.0169% |
| 1898 | #469 | 20 | 0.0163% |
| 1897 | #489 | 17 | 0.0151% |
| 1896 | #583 | 14 | 0.0117% |
| 1895 | #472 | 19 | 0.0162% |
| 1894 | #778 | 9 | 0.0078% |
| 1893 | #429 | 19 | 0.0169% |
| 1892 | #516 | 16 | 0.0131% |
| 1891 | #584 | 11 | 0.0109% |
| 1890 | #422 | 19 | 0.0171% |
| 1889 | #715 | 9 | 0.0081% |
| 1888 | #601 | 12 | 0.0099% |
| 1887 | #671 | 9 | 0.0089% |
| 1886 | #504 | 14 | 0.0126% |
| 1885 | #542 | 13 | 0.0121% |
| 1884 | #541 | 13 | 0.0114% |
| 1883 | #587 | 11 | 0.0105% |
| 1882 | #571 | 12 | 0.0106% |
| 1881 | #849 | 6 | 0.0060% |
| 1880 | #520 | 13 | 0.0118% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
