Rolley
A diminutive form of Roland, derived from the Germanic name meaning "famous land".
Name Census estimates that about 8 living Americans carry the first name Rolley. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Rolley today is around 85 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rolley births was 1923 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rolley. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Rolley is about 85 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Rolleys were born before 1951.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Rolley. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
8
~ 1 in 42,844,292 Americans
Peak year
1923
8 babies that year
Average age
85
years old
1950 SSA rank
#3,622
Tracked since 1885
Popularity
Rolley: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rolley from the 1880s through to the 1950s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 13 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1920s peak, Rolley remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rolley by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Rolley during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Rolley
The name Rolley is of Old English origin, derived from the Old English word "hrol," meaning "glory" or "fame." It is believed to have emerged as a given name during the Anglo-Saxon period in England, which lasted from the 5th to the 11th century.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rolley can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholders and their estates compiled in 1086 on the orders of William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a landowner named Rolley, who held a manor in the county of Gloucestershire.
In the 12th century, a notable figure named Rolley de Burgh was recorded as a Norman nobleman and military commander who fought in the campaigns of King Henry II of England. He played a significant role in the Norman conquest of Ireland and was granted lands in County Limerick for his service.
During the Middle Ages, the name Rolley was particularly popular among the gentry and landed nobility in various regions of England. One noteworthy bearer of the name was Sir Rolley Delamere, a knight who served under King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War with France in the 14th century.
In the 16th century, a prominent English clergyman named Rolley Hutchinson made his mark as a reformist thinker and theologian. He was a staunch supporter of the Protestant Reformation and played a role in shaping the religious landscape of England during that tumultuous period.
Another historical figure with the name Rolley was Rolley Wyndham, an English politician and member of Parliament who lived in the 17th century. He was known for his involvement in the English Civil War, initially siding with the Parliamentarians before switching his allegiance to the Royalist cause.
Over the centuries, the name Rolley has retained its connection to its Old English roots, reflecting a sense of glory, fame, and distinction. While its popularity has waxed and waned throughout different eras, it has remained a part of the rich tapestry of English naming traditions.
People
Rolley + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rolley as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Rolley: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rolley?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 8 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rolley going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 42,844,292 US residents.
Is Rolley a common name?
We classify Rolley as "Very Rare". It ranks above 24.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 34 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rolley most popular?
The single biggest year for Rolley was 1923, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rolley is about 85 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Rolley in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Rolley a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rolley in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Rolley still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Rolley in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Rolley can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Rolley?
Find out how many people share the name Rolley on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.