The first name Rochelle
A girl’s name from French meaning “rock”.
Pronounced /ɹoʊˈʃɛl/ 2 syllables Female Also a surname
Meaning and origin
French origin
Rochelle means “rock” in French.
Habitational or topographic name from places in France, La Rochelle, from Old French rochelle diminutive form of roche (“rock”).
More names that mean mountain.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 8 girls were named Rochelle, making it the 3,035th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 128 births (#290).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Rochelle with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Rochelle at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 30 girls born in the United States were named Rochelle, the 4,646th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1969, when 1,271 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Rochelle
8 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Rochelle AytesAmerican actress, born 1976
- Rochelle HudsonAmerican actress (1916–1972)
- Rochelle StevensAmerican athlete, born 1966
- Rochelle GilmoreAustralian racing cyclist, born 1981
- Rochelle P. WalenskyAmerican medical scientist, born 1969
- Rochelle HumesEnglish singer and presenter (born 1989)
- Kaitlyn DeverAmerican actress (born 1996)
- Kaylee McKeownAustralian swimmer, born 2001
More French girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Rochelle mean?
- Rochelle means “rock” in French.
- What is the origin of the name Rochelle?
- Habitational or topographic name from places in France, La Rochelle, from Old French rochelle diminutive form of roche (“rock”).
- How popular is the name Rochelle?
- In 2025, 8 girls born in England and Wales were named Rochelle, ranking 3,035th. Its peak was 1996, with 128 births.
- What are nicknames for Rochelle?
- Common nicknames for Rochelle include Shelley.
- Is Rochelle a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 99% of the 47,395 US babies named Rochelle since 1880 were girls.
- When was Rochelle most popular?
- 1969 in the United States, when 1,271 babies were named Rochelle, its highest rank at 236th.
- How do you pronounce Rochelle?
- Rochelle is /ɹoʊˈʃɛl/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Rochelle?
- Rochell.
- Is Rochelle also a surname?
- Yes. Rochelle is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.