Rovella
A variant form of the feminine Italian name Rovella, derived from the Latin word robus meaning "oak tree".
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Rovella. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Rovella today is around 85 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rovella births was 1942 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rovella. 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 Rovella is about 85 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Rovellas were born before 1951.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Rovella. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
1942
8 babies that year
Average age
85
years old
1942 SSA rank
#3,679
Tracked since 1935
Popularity
Rovella: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rovella from the 1930s through to the 1940s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1930s, with 13 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1930s peak, Rovella remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rovella 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 Rovella 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 Rovella
The name Rovella is believed to have its origins in the ancient Etruscan civilization, which flourished in what is now modern-day Italy between the 8th and 3rd centuries BC. It is thought to be derived from the Etruscan word "rovele," which means "oak tree" or "strong and resilient."
In its earliest recorded uses, the name Rovella appeared in Etruscan inscriptions and carvings, often associated with names of prominent families or individuals. It is believed that the name was originally given to children born under the auspices of the oak tree, which was revered by the Etruscans as a symbol of strength, endurance, and longevity.
As the Roman Empire rose to power and absorbed the Etruscan culture, the name Rovella gradually spread throughout the Italian peninsula and beyond. It can be found in various Latin texts and historical records from the Roman era, albeit in slightly altered spellings such as "Rovella" or "Rovellus."
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Rovella was a Roman centurion named Rovella Aemilius, who served under the command of Julius Caesar during the Gallic Wars in the 1st century BC. He was known for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.
In the 5th century AD, a Christian martyr named Rovella of Carthage was renowned for her unwavering faith and courage in the face of persecution. She was canonized by the Catholic Church for her sacrifices and is still venerated in parts of North Africa and Italy.
During the Renaissance period, a renowned Italian sculptor named Rovella Ghiberti (1378-1455) gained fame for his intricate bronze doors at the Baptistery of Florence, which were dubbed the "Gates of Paradise" by Michelangelo himself.
In the 18th century, a French explorer and cartographer named Rovella La Pérouse (1741-1788) led several expeditions to the Pacific Ocean and contributed significantly to the mapping of the region. His expeditions were commemorated in numerous writings and records of the time.
Another notable figure with the name Rovella was the 19th-century Italian poet and playwright Rovella Carducci (1835-1907), who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1906 for his lyrical works and contributions to the literary revival of the Italian language.
People
Rovella + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rovella 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
Rovella: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rovella?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rovella 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 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Rovella a common name?
We classify Rovella as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 21 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rovella most popular?
The single biggest year for Rovella was 1942, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rovella 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 Rovella in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Rovella a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rovella in the SSA data are female. 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 Rovella still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Rovella 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 Rovella 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 share the name Rovella?
You can see how many people have the name Rovella on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.