Rhoda Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: ROH-duh //ˈroʊdə//
Origin: Hebrew; Greek
Meaning: Hebrew: 'a friend'; Greek: 'rose'
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Rhoda has its roots in ancient languages, tracing back to the Greek word "rhodon," which means "rose." This etymology reflects a connection to nature and beauty, as the rose is often associated with love and femininity. The name entered the English language through the Latin form "Rhodas," which was derived from the Greek.
The transition into English occurred during the early medieval period, influenced by the spread of Christianity and the translation of biblical texts. Historically, Rhoda is mentioned in the New Testament of the Bible, specifically in the Book of Acts, where she is noted as a servant girl who recognized Peter after his miraculous escape from prison.
This reference, dating back to the 1st century CE, highlights her role in an important biblical narrative, contributing to the name's significance in Christian tradition. Over the centuries, Rhoda has been borne by various notable figures, including saints and early Christian martyrs, further embedding the name within religious and cultural contexts.
Culturally, the name Rhoda has been associated with themes of hospitality and recognition, stemming from its biblical roots. In literature and art, the rose has often symbolized beauty and virtue, which may have contributed to the name's enduring appeal.
Additionally, diminutive forms such as "Rhodie" have emerged, reflecting affectionate or familial connections. Overall, Rhoda encapsulates a blend of linguistic heritage, historical importance, and cultural symbolism, making it a name with rich connotations.
Famous people named Rhoda
In this section, you will find notable people named Rhoda. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Rhoda who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Rhoda who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Rhoda Morgenstern is a fictional character best known for The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Rhoda.
Rhoda Kadalie is a human rights activist best known for her work in South Africa and advocacy for women's rights.
Fictional characters named Rhoda
The following list of fictional characters named Rhoda is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Rhoda Morgenstern is a fictional character from the TV series Rhoda. She is a strong-willed and independent woman navigating life and relationships in New York City.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Rhoda, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Rhoda. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Rhoda was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Rhoda has ranked as high as #481 nationally, which occurred in 1926, and has been most popular in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, and California.
In the past 5 years the name Rhoda has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Rhoda is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Rhoda was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Rhoda (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| PA | 14 | |
| OH | 7 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Rhoda.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 58 |
| 2023 | 48 |
| 2022 | 51 |
| 2021 | 57 |
| 2020 | 46 |
| 2019 | 46 |
| 2018 | 47 |
| 2017 | 43 |
| 2016 | 52 |
| 2015 | 48 |
| 2014 | 41 |
| 2013 | 38 |
| 2012 | 33 |
| 2011 | 32 |
| 2010 | 50 |
| 2009 | 35 |
| 2008 | 43 |
| 2007 | 33 |
| 2006 | 36 |
| 2005 | 37 |
| 2004 | 45 |
| 2003 | 34 |
| 2002 | 36 |
| 2001 | 39 |
| 2000 | 41 |
| 1999 | 42 |
| 1998 | 42 |
| 1997 | 50 |
| 1996 | 39 |
| 1995 | 34 |
| 1994 | 30 |
| 1993 | 36 |
| 1992 | 37 |
| 1991 | 58 |
| 1990 | 48 |
| 1989 | 42 |
| 1988 | 35 |
| 1987 | 32 |
| 1986 | 53 |
| 1985 | 49 |
| 1984 | 53 |
| 1983 | 47 |
| 1982 | 56 |
| 1981 | 68 |
| 1980 | 75 |
| 1979 | 76 |
| 1978 | 80 |
| 1977 | 94 |
| 1976 | 115 |
| 1975 | 182 |
| 1974 | 162 |
| 1973 | 132 |
| 1972 | 128 |
| 1971 | 129 |
| 1970 | 117 |
| 1969 | 132 |
| 1968 | 143 |
| 1967 | 161 |
| 1966 | 234 |
| 1965 | 225 |
| 1964 | 221 |
| 1963 | 189 |
| 1962 | 181 |
| 1961 | 212 |
| 1960 | 227 |
| 1959 | 259 |
| 1958 | 264 |
| 1957 | 356 |
| 1956 | 241 |
| 1955 | 239 |
| 1954 | 233 |
| 1953 | 253 |
| 1952 | 230 |
| 1951 | 262 |
| 1950 | 278 |
| 1949 | 271 |
| 1948 | 251 |
| 1947 | 287 |
| 1946 | 271 |
| 1945 | 227 |
| 1944 | 276 |
| 1943 | 306 |
| 1942 | 331 |
| 1941 | 284 |
| 1940 | 315 |
| 1939 | 348 |
| 1938 | 360 |
| 1937 | 341 |
| 1936 | 376 |
| 1935 | 405 |
| 1934 | 425 |
| 1933 | 378 |
| 1932 | 420 |
| 1931 | 486 |
| 1930 | 497 |
| 1929 | 483 |
| 1928 | 504 |
| 1927 | 455 |
| 1926 | 547 |
| 1925 | 514 |
| 1924 | 503 |
| 1923 | 436 |
| 1922 | 463 |
| 1921 | 430 |
| 1920 | 421 |
| 1919 | 420 |
| 1918 | 433 |
| 1917 | 345 |
| 1916 | 385 |
| 1915 | 385 |
| 1914 | 266 |
| 1913 | 189 |
| 1912 | 189 |
| 1911 | 161 |
| 1910 | 170 |
| 1909 | 136 |
| 1908 | 108 |
| 1907 | 138 |
| 1906 | 132 |
| 1905 | 145 |
| 1904 | 116 |
| 1903 | 122 |
| 1902 | 152 |
| 1901 | 125 |
| 1900 | 151 |
| 1899 | 127 |
| 1898 | 148 |
| 1897 | 127 |
| 1896 | 130 |
| 1895 | 136 |
| 1894 | 136 |
| 1893 | 136 |
| 1892 | 140 |
| 1891 | 138 |
| 1890 | 138 |
| 1889 | 148 |
| 1888 | 130 |
| 1887 | 104 |
| 1886 | 114 |
| 1885 | 106 |
| 1884 | 93 |
| 1883 | 93 |
| 1882 | 79 |
| 1881 | 84 |
| 1880 | 73 |