The first name Ross
A boy’s name from Scottish Gaelic meaning “promontory”, “moor”, “heath”.
Pronounced /ɹɔs/ 1 syllable Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Scottish Gaelic origin
Ross means “promontory”, “moor”, “heath” in Scottish Gaelic.
* As a Scottish surname, from several places such as Roose in Cumbria or Roos in Yorkshire, both from Scottish Gaelic ros (“promontory”) or a Brythonic parallel of its source such as Welsh rhos (“moor, heath”). There were also several Norman families in Scotland who took their name from Rots in Calvados. Compare Rose, Rhodes. * As an English surname, from Wrose in Shipley, with loss of initial w. * As an English and German surname, from derivatives of the old Germanic root common in names *hrōþi (“fame”). Compare Rossell. * As a Cornish surname, from several places in Cornwall deriving from ros (“heathland”), related to the above Celtic word meaning "heath" or "promontory." See Rouse. * As a Jewish and German occupational surname for a breeder of horses, from the regional/poetic noun Ross (“horse”). Doublet of horse. * Also as a Jewish surname, Americanized from Rose.
More names that mean famous.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 12 boys were named Ross, making it the 2,014th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 1997, with 1,150 births (#60).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Ross with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Ross at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 122 boys born in the United States were named Ross, the 1,465th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1985, when 1,884 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
Nicknames for Ross
- Rossy
Other spellings and forms
- Rosse
Famous people named Ross
93 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Ross BarkleyEnglish association football player (born 1993)
- Ross LynchAmerican actor and singer, born 1995
- Ross PerotAmerican businessman and politician (1930–2019)
- Ross BrawnBritish automotive engineer, born 1954
- Ross TurnbullEnglish footballer (born 1985)
- Ross MarquandAmerican actor, born 1981
- Ross UlbrichtAmerican founder and administrator of the illicit online marketplace the Silk Road, born 1984
- Ross AlexanderAmerican actor (1907–1937)
- Ross the BossAmerican guitarist (1954-2026)
- Ross HutchinsBritish tennis player, born 1985
- Ross ThomasAmerican actor, born 1981
- Ross RobinsonAmerican record producer (born 1967)
More Scottish Gaelic boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Ross mean?
- Ross means “promontory”, “moor”, “heath” in Scottish Gaelic.
- What is the origin of the name Ross?
- * As a Scottish surname, from several places such as Roose in Cumbria or Roos in Yorkshire, both from Scottish Gaelic ros (“promontory”) or a Brythonic parallel of its source such as Welsh rhos (“moor, heath”). There were also several Norman families in Scotland who took their name from Rots in…
- How popular is the name Ross?
- In 2025, 12 boys born in England and Wales were named Ross, ranking 2,014th. Its peak was 1997, with 1,150 births.
- What are nicknames for Ross?
- Common nicknames for Ross include Rossy.
- Is Ross a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 99% of the 82,293 US babies named Ross since 1880 were boys.
- When was Ross most popular?
- 1985 in the United States, when 1,884 babies were named Ross, its highest rank at 147th.
- How do you pronounce Ross?
- Ross is /ɹɔs/, one syllable.
- What are other spellings of Ross?
- Rosse.
- Is Ross also a surname?
- Yes. Ross is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.