Roosevelt
Roosevelt was the 4362nd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 24 babies. Its best year was 1905, when it ranked 91st; the most babies were born in 1933 (1,208). Over the last ten years it has moved down 1,842 places. More babies were named Roosevelt in the 1930s than in any other decade.
Meaning "rose field" or "rush field" · Dutch
Say it ROH-zuh-velt /ˈroʊzəvɛlt/
- Rank in 2025
- #4,362 boys, down 1,170 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 24boys
- Girls and boys
- 24% girls, 76% boys2021–2025
- Peak year
- 19331,208 babies
- Total since 1880
- 38,024babies recorded
What does the name Roosevelt mean?
Roosevelt is a Dutch surname from a farm or field name, either Rozenveld or Ruiseveld. Wiktionary explains it as Middle Dutch for "field of roses (or wild poppies)" or "field of rushes", with velt, "open country, field". It became an American first name in honor of the presidents Theodore and Franklin D. Roosevelt, and was most common around 1905, during Theodore Roosevelt's presidency.
velt (Middle Dutch, “open country, field”)rose / rusch (Middle Dutch, “rose; rush (reed)”)
How sure is this? Uncertain. Wiktionary allows two readings of the first element ("rose" or "rush").
Related names: Rosevelt.
See also: Germanic names, names that mean meadow, hill or valley.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Roosevelt', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Wikipedia, 'Roosevelt (given name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation)
Roosevelt popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #8,765 | #4,362 | 12 | 24 |
| 2020 | #8,854 | #3,192 | 12 | 36 |
| 2010 | — | #2,205 | — | 60 |
| 2000 | — | #1,940 | — | 54 |
| 1990 | — | #853 | — | 144 |
| 1980 | — | #607 | — | 207 |
| 1970 | — | #474 | — | 288 |
| 1960 | #6,251 | #359 | 6 | 473 |
| 1950 | — | #273 | — | 584 |
| 1940 | #4,909 | #203 | 5 | 635 |
| 1930 | — | #238 | — | 533 |
| 1920 | — | #301 | — | 358 |
| 1910 | — | #144 | — | 222 |
| 1900 | — | #241 | — | 72 |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
How popular is Roosevelt, counting every spelling?
Roosevelt has no other common spelling that sounds the same.
How many kids will share the name Roosevelt?
24 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Roosevelt (0.01 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Roosevelt 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 347 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Roosevelt.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Roosevelt?
About 15,700 people born in the US named Roosevelt are alive today, with a median age of 64; half are between 48 and 75. That makes Roosevelt 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.
Roosevelt by state
How common Roosevelt was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. In 49 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Roosevelt: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Roosevelt, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Roosevelt · Sibling names for Roosevelt
Questions about the name Roosevelt
What does Roosevelt mean?
Roosevelt is usually explained as “"rose field" or "rush field"”, but this is uncertain. Certainty: uncertain.
How popular is the name Roosevelt?
Roosevelt was the 4362nd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 24 babies. Its best year was 1905, when it ranked 91st; the most babies were born in 1933 (1,208). Over the last ten years it has moved down 1,842 places. More babies were named Roosevelt in the 1930s than in any other decade.
Is Roosevelt a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, 24% girls, 76% boys given the name Roosevelt in the US.
Where is Roosevelt most popular?
In 2021–2025, Roosevelt was most common in Florida (0.02 per 1,000 boys), followed by Texas and Texas.