Rocket
A rocket is an elongated flying vehicle that uses a rocket engine to accelerate without using any surrounding air. A rocket engine produces thrust by reaction to exhaust expelled at high speed.
Meaning & Origin of Rocket
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
A rocket is an elongated flying vehicle that uses a rocket engine to accelerate without using any surrounding air. A rocket engine produces thrust by reaction to exhaust expelled at high speed.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Origin & history
The Story of Rocket
As a girl name
American parents first put Rocket on the record books as a girl name in 2014, with 7 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2015, when 11 Rockets were born — ranking #9,478 that year. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 89% of all recorded Rockets. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2021 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 45 Rockets have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2010s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Rocket on the record books as a boy name in 2001, with 6 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2021, when 29 Rockets were born — ranking #3,738 that year. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 51% of all recorded Rockets. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #5,774 among boy names with 16 births, falling sharply (-28%). In total, more than 394 Rockets have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Rocket
Phonetically similar names — useful when Rocket is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Rockette
- Rockett
- Raket
- Recut
- Rachat
- Racket
- Racquet
- Rackett
- Rickett
- Reckitt
- Roquette
- Rockets
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Rocket
What does the name Rocket mean?
How popular is Rocket in 2026?
When was Rocket most popular?
In which U.S. states is Rocket most popular?
Is Rocket a unisex name?
What names go well with Rocket?
About the name Rocket
Rocket is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2001 and has accumulated 394 births in the dataset. Rocket's peak popularity came in 2021 when it ranked #3,738. Use the chart and map above to compare Rocket's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2021 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "R" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.