Rodrigo Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: roh-DREE-goh /roʊˈdriːɡoʊ/
Origin: Spanish; Portuguese
Meaning: Famous ruler; renowned leader
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Rodrigo has its roots in the Germanic elements "hrod," meaning "fame," and "ric," meaning "power" or "ruler." This etymology traces back to the Visigothic name "Roderic," which was borne by a notable king of the Visigoths in the early 8th century. The name made its way into the Iberian Peninsula, where it was adapted into various forms, including the Spanish "Rodrigo" and the Portuguese "Rodrigo." The transition into English occurred through the influence of the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, as many names of Germanic origin were introduced into the English language during this period.
Historically, Rodrigo has been associated with several significant figures. One of the most notable is Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, commonly known as El Cid, a Castilian nobleman and military leader from the late 11th century who became a national hero in Spain.
His exploits were immortalized in the epic poem "Cantar de mio Cid," which contributed to the cultural legacy of the name. Additionally, the name appears in various historical texts and documents throughout the Middle Ages, often linked to nobility and leadership.
Culturally, Rodrigo carries connotations of strength and nobility, reflecting its meanings of fame and power. In Spanish-speaking cultures, the name has been embraced for its historical significance and has been borne by numerous saints and notable figures throughout the centuries.
The diminutive form "Ruy" has also been used historically, particularly in medieval contexts, further enriching the name's cultural tapestry. Overall, Rodrigo remains a name steeped in history and cultural resonance, symbolizing leadership and valor.
Famous people named Rodrigo
In this section, you will find notable people named Rodrigo. 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 Rodrigo who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Rodrigo 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.
Rodrigo Santoro is an actor best known for 300, Love Actually, and Westworld.
Rodrigo de Souza is a Brazilian footballer best known for playing as a midfielder for various clubs in Brazil.
Rodrigo Blaas is an animator and director best known for his work on Pixar films such as Up and Toy Story 3.
Rodrigo Alves is a television personality best known for his appearances on reality shows and his transformation journey.
Fictional characters named Rodrigo
The following list of fictional characters named Rodrigo 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.
Rodrigo is a fictional character from the play Othello by William Shakespeare. He is a wealthy Venetian who is in love with Desdemona and becomes embroiled in Iago's schemes against Othello.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Rodrigo, 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 Rodrigo. 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 Rodrigo was first seen in the United States in 1918.
Rodrigo has ranked as high as #543 nationally, which occurred in 2007, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Florida, Illinois, and Arizona.
In the past 5 years the name Rodrigo has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Rodrigo 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 Rodrigo was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Rodrigo (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 |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 205 | |
| CA | 109 | |
| FL | 54 | |
| AZ | 28 | |
| IL | 24 | |
| GA | 17 | |
| NC | 17 | |
| WA | 12 | |
| IN | 10 | |
| TN | 9 | |
| NV | 9 | |
| OK | 8 | |
| LA | 8 | |
| NM | 8 | |
| NY | 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 Rodrigo.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 640 |
| 2023 | 607 |
| 2022 | 562 |
| 2021 | 494 |
| 2020 | 482 |
| 2019 | 548 |
| 2018 | 573 |
| 2017 | 566 |
| 2016 | 592 |
| 2015 | 661 |
| 2014 | 575 |
| 2013 | 710 |
| 2012 | 639 |
| 2011 | 650 |
| 2010 | 676 |
| 2009 | 812 |
| 2008 | 1,014 |
| 2007 | 1,177 |
| 2006 | 823 |
| 2005 | 731 |
| 2004 | 700 |
| 2003 | 736 |
| 2002 | 665 |
| 2001 | 694 |
| 2000 | 680 |
| 1999 | 724 |
| 1998 | 511 |
| 1997 | 514 |
| 1996 | 616 |
| 1995 | 605 |
| 1994 | 423 |
| 1993 | 434 |
| 1992 | 464 |
| 1991 | 376 |
| 1990 | 378 |
| 1989 | 252 |
| 1988 | 231 |
| 1987 | 193 |
| 1986 | 231 |
| 1985 | 183 |
| 1984 | 187 |
| 1983 | 210 |
| 1982 | 222 |
| 1981 | 200 |
| 1980 | 179 |
| 1979 | 166 |
| 1978 | 187 |
| 1977 | 162 |
| 1976 | 174 |
| 1975 | 153 |
| 1974 | 144 |
| 1973 | 159 |
| 1972 | 114 |
| 1971 | 95 |
| 1970 | 108 |
| 1969 | 72 |
| 1968 | 57 |
| 1967 | 60 |
| 1966 | 55 |
| 1965 | 57 |
| 1964 | 69 |
| 1963 | 66 |
| 1962 | 60 |
| 1961 | 46 |
| 1960 | 50 |
| 1959 | 39 |
| 1958 | 43 |
| 1957 | 33 |
| 1956 | 48 |
| 1955 | 39 |
| 1954 | 46 |
| 1953 | 26 |
| 1952 | 33 |
| 1951 | 33 |
| 1950 | 39 |
| 1949 | 29 |
| 1948 | 27 |
| 1947 | 24 |
| 1946 | 24 |
| 1945 | 14 |
| 1944 | 21 |
| 1943 | 17 |
| 1942 | 14 |
| 1941 | 15 |
| 1940 | 25 |
| 1939 | 15 |
| 1938 | 16 |
| 1937 | 19 |
| 1936 | 17 |
| 1935 | 22 |
| 1934 | 15 |
| 1933 | 16 |
| 1932 | 16 |
| 1931 | 21 |
| 1930 | 16 |
| 1929 | 26 |
| 1928 | 25 |
| 1927 | 23 |
| 1926 | 22 |
| 1925 | 22 |
| 1924 | 16 |
| 1923 | 26 |
| 1922 | 7 |
| 1921 | 5 |
| 1920 | 5 |
| 1918 | 6 |