RIVER m & f English (Modern)From the English word that denotes a flowing body of water. The word is ultimately derived (via Old French) from Latin
ripa "riverbank".
ROALD m NorwegianModern form of the Old Norse name
Hróðvaldr or
Hróaldr, composed of the elements
hróðr "fame" and
valdr "ruler". This name was borne by the Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen (1872-1928) and the British children's author Roald Dahl (1916-1990), who was born to Norwegian parents.
ROBERT m English, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Finnish, Estonian, Czech, Polish, Russian, Slovene, Croatian, Romanian, Catalan, Ancient GermanicFrom the Germanic name
Hrodebert meaning
"bright fame", derived from the Germanic elements
hrod "fame" and
beraht "bright". The Normans introduced this name to Britain, where it replaced the Old English cognate
Hreodbeorht. It has been consistently among the most common English names from the 13th to 20th century. In the United States it was the most popular name for boys between 1924 and 1939 (and again in 1953).
... [more] ROBERTO m Italian, Spanish, PortugueseItalian, Spanish and Portuguese form of
ROBERT. Saint Roberto Bellarmine was a 16th-century cardinal who is regarded as a Doctor of the Church. Another famous bearer was Roberto de Nobili, a Jesuit missionary to India in the 17th century.
ROBIN m & f English, French, Dutch, SwedishMedieval diminutive of
ROBERT, now usually regarded as an independent name. Robin Hood was a legendary hero and archer of medieval England who stole from the rich to give to the poor. In modern times it has also been used as a feminine name, and it may sometimes be given in reference to the red-breasted bird.
ROCCO m Italian, Ancient GermanicGermanic name derived from the element
hrok meaning
"rest". This was the name of a 14th-century French saint who nursed victims of the plague but eventually contracted the disease himself. He is the patron saint of the sick.
ROCHELLE f EnglishFrom the name of the French city
La Rochelle, meaning
"little rock". It first became commonly used as a given name in America in the 1930s, probably due to the fame of actress Rochelle Hudson (1914-1972) and because of the similarity to the name
Rachel.
ROCÍO f SpanishMeans
"dew" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin
Mary María del Rocío meaning "Mary of the Dew".
ROCKY m EnglishDiminutive of
ROCCO and other names beginning with a similar sound, or else a nickname referring to a tough person. This is the name of a boxer played by Sylvester Stallone in the movie
Rocky (1976) and its five sequels.
RODERICK m English, Scottish, WelshMeans
"famous ruler" from the Germanic elements
hrod "fame" and
ric "ruler, mighty". This name was in use among the Visigoths; it was borne by their last king (also known as Rodrigo), who died fighting the Muslim invaders of Spain in the 8th century. It also had cognates in Old Norse and West Germanic, and Scandinavian settlers and Normans introduced it to England, though it died out after the Middle Ages. It was revived in the English-speaking world by Sir Walter Scott's poem
The Vision of Don Roderick (1811).
RODNEY m EnglishFrom a surname, originally derived from a place name, which meant "Hroda's island" in Old English (where
Hroda is a Germanic given name meaning "fame"). It was first used as a given name in honour of the British admiral Lord Rodney (1719-1792).
ROGELIO m SpanishSpanish form of the Late Latin name
Rogelius, which was possibly derived from the name
Rogatus, which was itself derived from Latin
rogatus "request".
ROGER m English, French, Catalan, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, DutchMeans
"famous spear" from the Germanic elements
hrod "fame" and
ger "spear". The Normans brought this name to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate
Hroðgar (the name of the Danish king in the Anglo-Saxon epic
Beowulf). It was a common name in England during the Middle Ages. By the 18th century it was rare, but it was revived in following years. The name was borne by the Norman lords Roger I, who conquered Sicily in the 11th century, and his son Roger II, who ruled Sicily as a king.
ROHAN (2) f LiteratureFrom the novel
The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien, where it is a place name meaning
"horse country" in Sindarin.
ROKURŌ m JapaneseFrom Japanese
六 (roku) meaning "six" and
郎 (rō) meaning "son". This name was traditionally given to the sixth son. Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.
ROLAND m English, French, German, Swedish, Dutch, Hungarian, Medieval FrenchFrom the Germanic elements
hrod meaning "fame" and
landa meaning "land", though some theories hold that the second element was originally
nand meaning "brave". Roland was a semi-legendary French hero whose story is told in the medieval epic
La Chanson de Roland, in which he is a nephew of
Charlemagne killed in battle with the Saracens. The Normans introduced this name to England.
ROLF m German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, EnglishFrom the Germanic name
Hrolf (or its Old Norse cognate
Hrólfr), a contracted form of
Hrodulf (see
RUDOLF). The Normans introduced this name to England but it soon became rare. In the modern era it has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world as a German import.
ROLLO m EnglishLatinized form of
Roul, the Old French form of
ROLF. Rollo (or Rolf) the Ganger was an exiled Viking who, in the 10th century, became the first Duke of Normandy. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century.
ROMA (2) f VariousFrom the name of the Italian city, commonly called
Rome in English.
ROMEO m ItalianItalian form of the Late Latin name
Romaeus meaning
"a pilgrim to Rome". Romeo is best known as the lover of
Juliet in Shakespeare's tragedy
Romeo and Juliet (1596).
ROMI f HebrewMeans
"my height, my exaltation" in Hebrew.
RONALD m Scottish, English, Dutch, GermanScottish form of
RAGNVALDR, a name introduced to Scotland by Scandinavian settlers and invaders. It became popular outside Scotland during the 20th century. A famous bearer was American actor and president Ronald Reagan (1911-2004).
RONALDO m PortuguesePortuguese form of
RONALD. A notable bearer is the retired Brazilian soccer player Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima (1976-), who is commonly known only by his first name.
RÓNÁN m IrishMeans
"little seal", derived from Irish
rón "seal" combined with a diminutive suffix.
RONG f & m ChineseFrom Chinese
荣 (róng) meaning "glory, honour, flourish, prosper",
融 (róng) meaning "fuse, harmonize" or
容 (róng) meaning "appearance, form" (which is usually only feminine). Other Chinese characters can form this name as well.
RONJA f SwedishInvented by Swedish children's author Astrid Lindgren, who based it on the middle portion of
Juronjaure, the name of a lake in Sweden. Lindgren used it in her book
Ronia the Robber's Daughter (
Ronia is the English translation).
RONNE m FrisianFrisian short form of Germanic names beginning with the element
hraban meaning
"raven".
ROOSEVELT m EnglishFrom a Dutch surname meaning
"rose field". This name is often given in honour of American presidents Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) or Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945).
RÓRDÁN m IrishFrom the older Irish name
Ríoghbhardán, which meant
"little poet king" from Irish Gaelic
ríogh "king" combined with
bard "poet" and a diminutive suffix.
ROSA (1) f Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, German, EnglishGenerally this can be considered a Latin form of
ROSE, though originally it may have come from the Germanic name
ROZA (2). This was the name of a 13th-century saint from Viterbo in Italy. In the English-speaking world it was first used in the 19th century. A famous bearer was civil rights activist Rosa Parks (1913-2005).
ROSALBA f ItalianItalian name meaning
"white rose", derived from Latin
rosa "rose" and
alba "white". A famous bearer was the Venetian painter Rosalba Carriera (1675-1757).
ROSALIE f French, German, Dutch, EnglishFrench, German and Dutch form of
ROSALIA. In the English-speaking this name received a boost after the release of the movie
Rosalie (1938), which was based on an earlier musical.
ROSALIND f EnglishDerived from the Germanic elements
hros meaning "horse" and
lind meaning "soft, tender, flexible". The Normans introduced this name to England, though it was not common. During the Middle Ages its spelling was influenced by the Latin phrase
rosa linda "beautiful rose". The name was popularized by Edmund Spencer, who used it in his poetry, and by William Shakespeare, who used it for the heroine in his comedy
As You Like It (1599).
ROSALINE f EnglishMedieval variant of
ROSALIND. This is the name of characters in Shakespeare's
Love's Labour's Lost (1594) and
Romeo and Juliet (1596).
ROSAMUND f English (Rare)Derived from the Germanic elements
hros "horse" and
mund "protection". The Normans introduced this name to England. It was subsequently influenced by the Latin phrase
rosa munda "pure rose". This was the name of the mistress of Henry II, the king of England in the 12th century. She was possibly murdered by his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine.
ROSARIO f & m Spanish, ItalianMeans
"rosary", and is taken from the Spanish title of the Virgin
Mary Nuestra Señora del Rosario meaning "Our Lady of the Rosary". This name is feminine in Spanish and masculine in Italian.
ROSAURA f SpanishMeans
"golden rose", derived from Latin
rosa "rose" and
aurea "golden". This name was (first?) used by Pedro Calderón de la Barca for a character in his play
Life Is a Dream (1635).
ROSCOE m EnglishFrom an English surname, originally derived from a place name, itself derived from Old Norse
rá "roebuck" and
skógr "wood, forest".
ROSE f English, FrenchOriginally a Norman form of the Germanic name
Hrodohaidis meaning
"famous type", composed of the elements
hrod "fame" and
heid "kind, sort, type". The Normans introduced it to England in the forms
Roese and
Rohese. From an early date it was associated with the word for the fragrant flower
rose (derived from Latin
rosa). When the name was revived in the 19th century, it was probably with the flower in mind.
ROSEMARY f EnglishCombination of
ROSE and
MARY. This name can also be given in reference to the herb, which gets its name from Latin
ros marinus meaning "dew of the sea". It came into use as a given name in the 19th century.
ROSENDO m SpanishSpanish form of a Visigothic name composed of the Germanic elements
hrod "fame" and
sinths "path". This was the name of a 10th-century Galician saint, also known as Rudesind.
ROSINA f ItalianItalian diminutive of
ROSA (1). This is the name of a character in Rossini's opera
The Barber of Seville (1816).
ROSS m Scottish, EnglishFrom a Scottish and English surname that originally indicated a person from a place called
Ross (such as the region of Ross in northern Scotland), derived from Gaelic
ros meaning "promontory, headland". A famous bearer of the surname was Sir James Clark Ross (1800-1862), an Antarctic explorer.
ROSTAM m Persian, Persian MythologyMeaning unknown, possibly from Avestan
raodha "to grow" and
takhma "strong, brave, valiant". Rostam was a warrior hero in Persian legend. The 11th-century Persian poet Ferdowsi recorded his tale in the
Shahnameh.
ROSWELL m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from an Old English place name meaning
"horse spring".
ROSWITHA f GermanDerived from the Germanic elements
hrod "fame" and
swinth "strength". This was the name of a 10th-century nun from Saxony who wrote several notable poems and dramas.
ROTEM m & f HebrewFrom the name of a desert plant (species Retama raetam), possibly derived from Hebrew
רְתֹם (retom) meaning "to bind".
ROWAN m & f Irish, English (Modern)From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Ruadháin meaning
"descendant of RUADHÁN". This name can also be given in reference to the rowan tree.
ROWENA f EnglishMeaning uncertain, possibly a Latinized form of a Germanic name derived from the elements
hrod "fame" and
wunn "joy, bliss". According to the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth, this was the name of a daughter of the Saxon chief Hengist. Alternatively, Geoffrey may have based it on a Welsh name. It was popularized by Sir Walter Scott, who used it for a character in his novel
Ivanhoe (1819).
ROXANA f English, Spanish, Romanian, Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latin form of
Ρωξανη (Roxane), the Greek form of the Persian or Bactrian name
روشنک (Roshanak), which meant
"bright" or
"dawn". This was the name of Alexander the Great's first wife, a daughter of the Bactrian nobleman Oxyartes. In the modern era it came into use during the 17th century. In the English-speaking world it was popularized by Daniel Defoe, who used it in his novel
Roxana (1724).
ROXELANA f HistoryFrom a Turkish nickname meaning
"Ruthenian". This referred to the region of Ruthenia, covering Belarus, Ukraine and western Russia. Roxelana (1502-1558), also known by the name Hürrem, was a slave and then concubine of Süleyman the Magnificent, sultan of the Ottoman Empire. She eventually became his wife and produced his heir, Selim II.
ROY m Scottish, English, DutchAnglicized form of
RUADH. A notable bearer was the Scottish outlaw and folk hero Rob Roy (1671-1734). It is often associated with French
roi "king".
ROYAL m EnglishFrom the English word
royal, derived (via Old French) from Latin
regalis, a derivative of
rex "king". It was first used as a given name in the 19th century.
ROYCE m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from the medieval given name
Royse, a variant of
ROSE.
ROYDON m English (Rare)From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"rye hill", from Old English
ryge "rye" and
dun "hill".
ROYLE m English (Rare)From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"rye hill" from Old English
ryge "rye" and
hyll "hill".
ROYSTON m English (British)From a surname that was originally taken from an Old English place name meaning
"town of Royse". The given name
Royse was a medieval variant of
ROSE.
RU m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
儒 (rú) meaning "scholar",
如 (rú) meaning "like, as, if", or other characters with similar pronunciations.
RUADH m Irish, ScottishGaelic byname meaning
"red", often a nickname for one with red hair. This was the nickname of the Scottish outlaw Raibeart Ruadh MacGregor (1671-1734), known as Rob Roy in English.
RUAIDHRÍ m IrishMeans
"red king" from Irish
ruadh "red" combined with
rí "king". This was the name of the last high king of Ireland, reigning in the 12th century.
RUARC m IrishProbably an Irish form of
HRŒREKR, introduced by Scandinavian settlers and invaders. Alternatively it may be derived from Irish
ruarc "squall, rainstorm".
RUBAB f ArabicFrom an Arabic word referring to a type of stringed musical instrument. This was the name of the wife of the Prophet
Muhammad's grandson
Husayn.