Roger Boy

Popularity: #602 · Trend: ↘ Falling

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
19%
CA 41
16%
NY 19
7%
FL 18
7%
PA 13
5%
WA 11
4%
IL 11
4%
VA 10
4%
GA 10
4%
TN 10
4%
WI 9
4%
MD 9
4%
MI 8
3%
OH 8
3%
MN 7
3%

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.

YearBirths
2024340
2023343
2022342
2021388
2020375
2019362
2018413
2017417
2016409
2015479
2014477
2013476
2012459
2011477
2010504
2009550
2008598
2007582
2006594
2005644
2004630
2003664
2002676
2001719
2000703
1999730
1998769
1997804
1996957
19951,002
19941,071
19931,132
19921,440
19911,294
19901,456
19891,477
19881,578
19871,559
19861,608
19851,706
19841,719
19831,870
19822,167
19812,244
19802,074
19792,024
19782,143
19772,313
19762,465
19752,619
19742,754
19733,154
19723,534
19714,128
19704,584
19694,905
19685,185
19675,721
19666,297
19656,432
19647,387
19637,743
19629,077
19619,651
19609,043
19598,794
19588,368
19579,865
195610,151
195510,982
195411,716
195313,171
195212,132
195112,425
195012,552
194912,821
194812,818
194712,760
194612,410
194510,570
194410,581
194310,772
19429,174
19418,094
19407,597
19397,155
19386,551
19375,712
19365,701
19355,152
19344,765
19333,917
19323,788
19313,625
19303,246
19292,928
19282,774
19272,408
19262,260
19252,099
19242,054
19231,888
19221,848
19211,803
19201,691
19191,298
19181,426
19171,249
19161,087
19151,086
1914816
1913565
1912464
1911241
1910176
1909128
1908115
1907127
190694
190573
190491
190386
190273
190160
190081
189967
189874
189758
189670
189569
189458
189349
189255
189155
189052
188949
188847
188739
188632
188527
188439
188323
188232
188129
188025