Roger
Roger is a masculine given name and a surname. The given name is derived from the Old French personal names Roger and Rogier. These names are of Germanic origin, derived from the elements hrōd, χrōþi and gār, gēr (Hrōþigēraz). The name was introduced into England by the Normans. In Normandy, the Frankish name had been reinforced by the Old Norse cognate Hróðgeirr.
- English
- French
- Catalan
- Swedish
Meaning & Origin of Roger
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Roger is a masculine given name and a surname. The given name is derived from the Old French personal names Roger and Rogier. These names are of Germanic origin, derived from the elements hrōd, χrōþi and gār, gēr (Hrōþigēraz). The name was introduced into England by the Normans. In Normandy, the Frankish name had been reinforced by the Old Norse cognate Hróðgeirr.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
- French
- Catalan
- Swedish
- Norwegian
- German
- Dutch
The Story of Roger
The earliest SSA record of Roger as a baby boy name dates back to 1880, when 25 babies received it. 1953 was its biggest year on record, with 13,171 newborns named Roger — #31 in the national rankings. About 25% of every Roger on record arrived during the 1950s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Roger ranks #784 for baby boys with 326 births, gradually falling (-14%). All told, over 442K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Roger
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Roger. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Rodge
- Rodger
Names that sound like Roger
Phonetically similar names — useful when Roger is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Roger
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In which U.S. states is Roger most popular?
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About the name Roger
Roger is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 442K births in the dataset. Roger's peak popularity came in 1953 when it ranked #22. Use the chart and map above to compare Roger's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1953 →
- Names of the 1950s →
- Names starting with "R" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.