Roger Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: ROH-jer //ˈrɒdʒər//
Origin: Germanic; Old French
Meaning: Famous spear; renowned warrior
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Roger has its roots in the Germanic elements "hrod," meaning "fame," and "ger," meaning "spear." This combination gives the name the literal meaning of "famous spear." The name was introduced into England by the Normans after the Conquest of 1066, where it was rendered as "Roger" in Old French. The Old French form was derived from the earlier Germanic forms, such as Hrothgar, which were prevalent in various Germanic languages before being adopted into Latin as "Rogerius." The transition into English solidified the name's presence in the language and culture of medieval England.
Historically, Roger has been borne by several notable figures, including Roger of Salisbury, a prominent medieval bishop and statesman in the 12th century, and Roger Bacon, a 13th-century philosopher and Franciscan friar known for his contributions to the scientific method. The name also appears in various historical texts, including the works of Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14th century, where it was used in a variety of contexts, reflecting its integration into English society.
Additionally, the name was popularized through the influence of saints, such as Saint Roger, a 12th-century hermit and founder of the Order of the Servants of Mary. Culturally, Roger has been associated with qualities of strength and leadership, often symbolizing a warrior-like spirit due to its etymological roots.
The name has endured through centuries, partly due to its association with nobility and chivalry in medieval literature. Diminutive forms such as "Rog" or "Rodge" have also emerged, reflecting a more familiar or affectionate usage in various contexts.
Overall, the name Roger carries a rich historical and cultural significance, embodying themes of valor and renown that have allowed it to persist through the ages.
Famous people named Roger
In this section, you will find notable people named Roger. 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 Roger who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Roger 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.
Roger Federer is a professional tennis player best known for winning 20 Grand Slam singles titles, holding the world No. 1 ranking for a record 310 weeks, and his rivalry with Rafael Nadal.
Roger Moore is an actor best known for his role as James Bond in seven films, The Saint, and The Persuaders!.
Roger Ebert was a film critic best known for his television show Siskel & Ebert, his film reviews, and winning the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.
Roger Daltrey is a singer and actor best known as the lead vocalist of The Who, and for his role in the film Tommy.
Roger Waters is a musician best known as a co-founder of Pink Floyd, and for his work on the albums The Wall and Dark Side of the Moon.
Roger Clemens is a former professional baseball pitcher best known for his time with the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and winning seven Cy Young Awards.
Roger Ailes was a media consultant best known for founding Fox News and serving as its CEO.
Roger Penrose is a physicist and mathematician best known for his work in general relativity, black holes, and winning the Nobel Prize in Physics.
Roger Rabbit is a fictional character best known as the protagonist of the animated film Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
Roger B. Taney was a Chief Justice of the United States best known for the Dred Scott decision.
Fictional characters named Roger
The following list of fictional characters named Roger 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.
Roger Rabbit is a fictional character from the animated film Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He is a cartoon character who seeks to clear his name after being accused of murder.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Roger, 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 Roger. 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 Roger was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Roger has ranked as high as #54 nationally, which occurred in 1953, and has been most popular in Ohio, California, New York, Illinois, and Michigan.
In the past 5 years the name Roger has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Roger 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 Roger was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Roger (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 | 49 | |
| CA | 41 | |
| NY | 19 | |
| FL | 18 | |
| PA | 13 | |
| WA | 11 | |
| IL | 11 | |
| VA | 10 | |
| GA | 10 | |
| TN | 10 | |
| WI | 9 | |
| MD | 9 | |
| MI | 8 | |
| OH | 8 | |
| MN | 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 Roger.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 340 |
| 2023 | 343 |
| 2022 | 342 |
| 2021 | 388 |
| 2020 | 375 |
| 2019 | 362 |
| 2018 | 413 |
| 2017 | 417 |
| 2016 | 409 |
| 2015 | 479 |
| 2014 | 477 |
| 2013 | 476 |
| 2012 | 459 |
| 2011 | 477 |
| 2010 | 504 |
| 2009 | 550 |
| 2008 | 598 |
| 2007 | 582 |
| 2006 | 594 |
| 2005 | 644 |
| 2004 | 630 |
| 2003 | 664 |
| 2002 | 676 |
| 2001 | 719 |
| 2000 | 703 |
| 1999 | 730 |
| 1998 | 769 |
| 1997 | 804 |
| 1996 | 957 |
| 1995 | 1,002 |
| 1994 | 1,071 |
| 1993 | 1,132 |
| 1992 | 1,440 |
| 1991 | 1,294 |
| 1990 | 1,456 |
| 1989 | 1,477 |
| 1988 | 1,578 |
| 1987 | 1,559 |
| 1986 | 1,608 |
| 1985 | 1,706 |
| 1984 | 1,719 |
| 1983 | 1,870 |
| 1982 | 2,167 |
| 1981 | 2,244 |
| 1980 | 2,074 |
| 1979 | 2,024 |
| 1978 | 2,143 |
| 1977 | 2,313 |
| 1976 | 2,465 |
| 1975 | 2,619 |
| 1974 | 2,754 |
| 1973 | 3,154 |
| 1972 | 3,534 |
| 1971 | 4,128 |
| 1970 | 4,584 |
| 1969 | 4,905 |
| 1968 | 5,185 |
| 1967 | 5,721 |
| 1966 | 6,297 |
| 1965 | 6,432 |
| 1964 | 7,387 |
| 1963 | 7,743 |
| 1962 | 9,077 |
| 1961 | 9,651 |
| 1960 | 9,043 |
| 1959 | 8,794 |
| 1958 | 8,368 |
| 1957 | 9,865 |
| 1956 | 10,151 |
| 1955 | 10,982 |
| 1954 | 11,716 |
| 1953 | 13,171 |
| 1952 | 12,132 |
| 1951 | 12,425 |
| 1950 | 12,552 |
| 1949 | 12,821 |
| 1948 | 12,818 |
| 1947 | 12,760 |
| 1946 | 12,410 |
| 1945 | 10,570 |
| 1944 | 10,581 |
| 1943 | 10,772 |
| 1942 | 9,174 |
| 1941 | 8,094 |
| 1940 | 7,597 |
| 1939 | 7,155 |
| 1938 | 6,551 |
| 1937 | 5,712 |
| 1936 | 5,701 |
| 1935 | 5,152 |
| 1934 | 4,765 |
| 1933 | 3,917 |
| 1932 | 3,788 |
| 1931 | 3,625 |
| 1930 | 3,246 |
| 1929 | 2,928 |
| 1928 | 2,774 |
| 1927 | 2,408 |
| 1926 | 2,260 |
| 1925 | 2,099 |
| 1924 | 2,054 |
| 1923 | 1,888 |
| 1922 | 1,848 |
| 1921 | 1,803 |
| 1920 | 1,691 |
| 1919 | 1,298 |
| 1918 | 1,426 |
| 1917 | 1,249 |
| 1916 | 1,087 |
| 1915 | 1,086 |
| 1914 | 816 |
| 1913 | 565 |
| 1912 | 464 |
| 1911 | 241 |
| 1910 | 176 |
| 1909 | 128 |
| 1908 | 115 |
| 1907 | 127 |
| 1906 | 94 |
| 1905 | 73 |
| 1904 | 91 |
| 1903 | 86 |
| 1902 | 73 |
| 1901 | 60 |
| 1900 | 81 |
| 1899 | 67 |
| 1898 | 74 |
| 1897 | 58 |
| 1896 | 70 |
| 1895 | 69 |
| 1894 | 58 |
| 1893 | 49 |
| 1892 | 55 |
| 1891 | 55 |
| 1890 | 52 |
| 1889 | 49 |
| 1888 | 47 |
| 1887 | 39 |
| 1886 | 32 |
| 1885 | 27 |
| 1884 | 39 |
| 1883 | 23 |
| 1882 | 32 |
| 1881 | 29 |
| 1880 | 25 |