Rooney
Rooney is the given name or common first name of the following people:Rooney Lee (1837–1891), an American planter, military general and politician. Rooney Mara, an American actress. Rooney Massara, a British rower and businessman. Rooney Roon, a former member of the hip hop group Ultramagnetic MCs. Rooney Sweeney, an American baseball player.
Meaning & Origin of Rooney
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Rooney is the given name or common first name of the following people:Rooney Lee (1837–1891), an American planter, military general and politician. Rooney Mara, an American actress. Rooney Massara, a British rower and businessman. Rooney Roon, a former member of the hip hop group Ultramagnetic MCs. Rooney Sweeney, an American baseball player.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Rooney
As a girl name
American parents first put Rooney on the record books as a girl name in 2011, with 6 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 106 Rooneys were born — ranking #1,895 that year. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 65% of all recorded Rooneys. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #1,895 among girl names with 106 births, rising sharply (+55% over the past five years). In total, more than 983 Rooneys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2010s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Rooney as a boy name dates back to 1943, when 5 babies received it. 2011 was its biggest year on record, with 44 newborns named Rooney — #2,699 in the national rankings. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 37% of all recorded Rooneys. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #3,202 among boy names with 38 births, rising sharply (+46% over the past five years). In total, more than 717 Rooneys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1940s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Rooney
Phonetically similar names — useful when Rooney 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 Rooney
What does the name Rooney mean?
How popular is Rooney in 2026?
When was Rooney most popular?
In which U.S. states is Rooney most popular?
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About the name Rooney
Rooney is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2011 and has accumulated 983 births in the dataset. Rooney's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #1,895. Use the chart and map above to compare Rooney's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2026 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "R" →
- Browse all girl 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.