The first name Roderick
A boy’s name.
Pronounced /ˈɹɒdəɹɪk/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Medieval English name from Proto-Germanic *Hrōþirīks, revived after Walter Scott used it in a poem in 1811, where it is a translation of its Spanish cognate Rodrigo. Roderick is also used to anglicize Scottish Ruairidh and Welsh Rhydderch.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 5 boys were named Roderick, making it the 3,684th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 13 births (#1,040).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Roderick with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Roderick at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 93 boys born in the United States were named Roderick, the 1,752nd most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1971, when 1,057 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.
Roderick in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Roderick
24 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Roderick MacKinnonAmerican neuroscientist, born 1956
- Roderick Murchison, 1st BaronetBritish geologist (1792-1871)
- Roderick StrongAmerican professional wrestler, born 1983
- Roderick ChisholmAmerican philosopher and logician (1916–1999)
- Roderick ThorpAmerican writer (1936–1999)
- Roderick RijndersDutch rower (1941-2018)
- Roderick KabweAssociation football player, born 1992
- Roderick WeusthofDutch hockey player, born 1982
- Roderick BlakneyAmerican basketball player, born 1976
- Roderick MacFarquharBritish politician (1930-2019)
- Roderick LongAmerican philosopher, born 1964
- Roderick GordonBritish writer, born 1960
Questions
- What does the name Roderick mean?
- Medieval English name from Proto-Germanic *Hrōþirīks, revived after Walter Scott used it in a poem in 1811, where it is a translation of its Spanish cognate Rodrigo. Roderick is also used to anglicize Scottish Ruairidh and Welsh Rhydderch.
- How popular is the name Roderick?
- In 2025, 5 boys born in England and Wales were named Roderick, ranking 3,684th. Its peak was 1996, with 13 births.
- What are nicknames for Roderick?
- Common nicknames for Roderick include Rory, Rodders, Roddy, Roddie.
- Is Roderick a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 99% of the 47,446 US babies named Roderick since 1880 were boys.
- When was Roderick most popular?
- 1971 in the United States, when 1,057 babies were named Roderick, its highest rank at 224th.
- How do you pronounce Roderick?
- Roderick is /ˈɹɒdəɹɪk/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Roderick?
- Rodrick.
- Is Roderick also a surname?
- Yes. Roderick is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.