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    The first name Roland

    A boy’s name meaning “fame-land”.

    Pronounced /ˈɹoʊlənd/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Roland means “fame-land”.

    From Old French, from Frankish *Hrōþiland (literally “fame-land”). Name of a paladin of Charlemagne in medieval French romance. Doublet of Orlando.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 35 boys were named Roland, making it the 896th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2021, with 35 births (#871).

    02040 1996200020052010201520202025
    530
    babies named Roland, 1996–2025
    #896
    rank in 2025
    2021
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Roland with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Roland at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 466 boys born in the United States were named Roland, the 608th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1924, when 1,822 were.

    01,0002,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    101,191
    babies named Roland since 1880
    #608
    rank in 2025
    1924
    peak year

    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.

    Roland in other languages

    Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary

    羅蘭 /罗兰
    Luólán
    Chinese
    როლანდი
    rolandi
    Georgian
    Ρολάνδος
    Rolándos
    Greek
    Rolando
    Italian, also Orlando
    Rolands
    Latvian
    Rolando
    Portuguese, also Orlando
    Rolando
    Spanish

    Spelled Roland in Czech, Estonian, French, German, Hungarian, Polish and Swedish too.

    Nicknames and spellings

    Nicknames for Roland

    Other spellings and forms

    Famous people named Roland

    134 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Roland Barthes
      French philosopher and essayist (1915–1980)
    • Roland Emmerich
      German filmmaker (born 1955)
    • Roland
      Frankish knight, 737–778
    • Roland Ratzenberger
      Austrian racing driver (1960–1994)
    • Roland Freisler
      German jurist and politician (1893–1945)
    • Roland Joffé
      English and French film/television director and producer, born 1945
    • Roland Juhász
      Football player, born 1983
    • Roland Topor
      French writer, screenwriter, actor and painter (1938-1997)
    • Roland Linz
      Austrian association football player, born 1981
    • Rahsaan Roland Kirk
      American musician (1935-1977)
    • Roland Petit
      French ballet dancer and choreographer (1924–2011)
    • Roland Burris
      American politician and attorney, born 1937

    Questions

    What does the name Roland mean?
    Roland means “fame-land”.
    How popular is the name Roland?
    In 2025, 35 boys born in England and Wales were named Roland, ranking 896th. Its peak was 2021, with 35 births.
    What are nicknames for Roland?
    Common nicknames for Roland include Roll, Rolly, Roly, Lanny.
    Is Roland a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 101,191 US babies named Roland since 1880 were boys.
    When was Roland most popular?
    1924 in the United States, when 1,822 babies were named Roland, its highest rank at 98th.
    How do you pronounce Roland?
    Roland is /ˈɹoʊlənd/, 2 syllables.
    What are other spellings of Roland?
    Rowland.
    Is Roland also a surname?
    Yes. Roland is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.