Rodger
Rodger was the 5353rd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 18 babies. Its best year was 1946, when it ranked 242nd; the most babies were born in 1949 (680). Over the last ten years it has moved down 2,063 places. More babies were named Rodger in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Roger) famous spear (Germanic) · Germanic, French
- Rank in 2025
- #5,353 boys, up 59 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 18boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1949680 babies
- Total since 1880
- 21,556babies recorded
What does the name Rodger mean?
Rodger is a spelling of Roger, pronounced the same way, so it shares Roger's meaning and origin.
Roger comes through Old French Rogier from a Germanic name, hrōth, fame, plus gēr, spear: "famous spear," as DMNES and Wiktionary agree; Old English had the same name as Hrōthgār. DMNES lists Norman rulers of Sicily and English saints among its medieval bearers. Roger has been used in the US since 1880 and was most common in the early 1950s.
hruod (Old High German, “fame”)gēr (Old High German, “spear”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Rogelio, Rüdiger, Rodger, Hrothgar.
See also: Germanic names, names that mean warrior, names that mean fame.
Sources for this meaning
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Roger', DMNES (Durham University)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Roger' (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)
Rodger popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #5,353 | 18 |
| 2020 | #5,412 | 17 |
| 2010 | #7,013 | 12 |
| 2000 | #2,724 | 34 |
| 1990 | #1,284 | 75 |
| 1980 | #772 | 130 |
| 1970 | #504 | 256 |
| 1960 | #370 | 454 |
| 1950 | #268 | 606 |
| 1940 | #319 | 315 |
| 1930 | #525 | 131 |
| 1920 | #720 | 82 |
| 1910 | #1,797 | 5 |
| 1900 | #1,469 | 5 |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Rodger, counting every spelling?
Rodger is a spelling of Roger, a name family that ranked #777 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #5,353 for Rodger on its own. Together these spellings went to 315 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roger | 297 | #834 | 1,712 |
| Rodger | 18 | #5,353 | 73 |
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 Rodger?
18 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Rodger (0.01 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Rodger 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 465 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Rodger.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Rodger?
About 12,700 people born in the US named Rodger are alive today, with a median age of 66; half are between 55 and 75. That makes Rodger a name most people associate with older generations.
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.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Rodger: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Rodger, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Rodger
What does Rodger mean?
Rodger is a spelling of Roger, which means “famous spear (Germanic)” (Germanic, French origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Rodger?
Rodger was the 5353rd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 18 babies. Its best year was 1946, when it ranked 242nd; the most babies were born in 1949 (680). Over the last ten years it has moved down 2,063 places. More babies were named Rodger in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Is Rodger a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Rodger in the US.