Rhodes
Rhodes was the 575th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 511 babies. That is its highest rank since records began in 1880. Over the last ten years it has moved up 1,612 places. More babies were named Rhodes in the 2020s than in any other decade.
Meaning clearings (English surname); or the Greek island · English, Greek
Say it ROHDZ /roʊdz/
- Rank in 2025
- #575 boys, up 820 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 511boys
- Girls and boys
- 9% girls, 91% boys2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2025511 babies
- Total since 1880
- 2,960babies recorded
What does the name Rhodes mean?
Rhodes as a surname has an English source: Wiktionary derives it from rodes, the plural of Middle English rode, a clearing, for someone who lived near woodland clearings; the Rh- spelling was added in the 16th century by analogy with the Greek island. The island of Rhodes has a name of uncertain origin; Greek rhodon, rose, is one proposal. As a boys' name Rhodes has been used in the US since 1915.
rode (Middle English, “clearing”)Ῥόδος (Ancient Greek, “Rhodes (uncertain; perhaps 'rose')”)
How sure is this? Uncertain. Two unrelated sources (English surname; Greek island name of uncertain origin).
Related names: Rhode, Rhodri.
See also: English names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Rhodes' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- US Social Security Administration, national baby-name data 1880-2025 (yob*.txt), team3 computation of first year recorded, US Social Security Administration (public domain)
Rhodes popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #3,376 | #575 | 46 | 511 |
| 2020 | #9,420 | #1,395 | 11 | 125 |
| 2010 | — | #4,487 | — | 22 |
| 2000 | — | — | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | — | #4,150 | — | 7 |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | #4,446 | — | 5 |
| 1920 | — | #4,839 | — | 5 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
How popular is Rhodes, counting every spelling?
Rhodes is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #568 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #575 for Rhodes on its own. Together these spellings went to 517 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhodes | 511 | #575 | 1,808 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Rhodes?
511 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Rhodes (0.14 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Rhodes born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 16 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Rhodes.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Rhodes?
About 2,600 people born in the US named Rhodes are alive today, with a median age of 3; half are between 2 and 7. That makes Rhodes a young name: most people with it are children.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Rhodes by state
How common Rhodes was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Tennessee (2.4×), South Carolina (2.1×), Colorado (2.0×), Minnesota (2.0×), Iowa (1.9×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in New Jersey, Maryland, New York.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Rhodes: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Rhodes, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Rhodes · Sibling names for Rhodes
Questions about the name Rhodes
What does Rhodes mean?
Rhodes is usually explained as “clearings (English surname); or the Greek island”, but this is uncertain. Certainty: uncertain.
How popular is the name Rhodes?
Rhodes was the 575th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 511 babies. That is its highest rank since records began in 1880. Over the last ten years it has moved up 1,612 places. More babies were named Rhodes in the 2020s than in any other decade.
Is Rhodes a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, 9% girls, 91% boys given the name Rhodes in the US.
Where is Rhodes most popular?
In 2021–2025, Rhodes was most common in Tennessee (0.49 per 1,000 boys), followed by South Carolina and Colorado.