Total births
247,150
Boys' name · since 1880
Rodney
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 247,150 babies named Rodney, peaking in 1965. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #1078
- among boys today
- 247,150
- born since 1880
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 92%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Rodney is the #1078 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 247,150 recorded since 1880.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Rodney has been recorded 247,150 times among boys since 1880, currently ranked #1078 nationally and more common than 92% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1960s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #1078 among boys today
- 247,150 born since 1880
- 1960s peak decade
- 92% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Rodney is currently the #1078 boys' name in America, more common than 92% of boys - 247,150 born since 1880, peaking in the 1960s.
- #1078
- among boys today
- 247,150
- born since 1880
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 92%
- more common than other boys
Rodney vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1078
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 92% of names given to boys today.
1960s
Peak decade
29% of everyone ever named Rodney was born in this single decade.
1965
Single peak year
11,086 babies were named Rodney in 1965 - its busiest year on record.
How Rodney compares
247,150 Top 1% higher than 99% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Rodney's all-time total is 673x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Rodney | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 247,150 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 11,086 | 23 | 22,252 |
Rodney's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Rodney's SSA record in two at 1953 and the more recent half accounts for 78% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 22%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1881, with only 6 births recorded -- set against the 1965 peak of 11,086, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Rodney at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1965
Current rank
#1,078
Active since
1880
Rodney popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1965)
- 11,086
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Rodney popularity over time - girls
1,175 total births recorded since 1918 (Rodney as girls' name)
Rodney by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Rodney's strongest decade.
72,194 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 29% of all-time use.
Rodney births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 112
1880s
112 births
- 1890s 162
1890s
162 births
- 1900s 194
1900s
194 births
- 1910s 1,775
1910s
1,775 births
- 1920s 4,519
1920s
4,519 births
- 1930s 9,695
1930s
9,695 births
- 1940s 24,846
1940s
24,846 births
- 1950s
1950s
54,817 births
- 1960s
1960s
72,194 births
- 1970s
1970s
37,446 births
- 1980s 17,872
1980s
17,872 births
- 1990s 12,122
1990s
12,122 births
- 2000s 6,466
2000s
6,466 births
- 2010s 3,624
2010s
3,624 births
- 2020s 1,306
2020s
1,306 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 72,194 births (29% of all-time use).
How Rodney compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Rodney's total volume
Rodney vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Rodney by state
Where Rodney concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 17,709 | 7.2% |
| #2 | Texas | | 16,069 | 6.5% |
| #3 | Ohio | | 12,988 | 5.3% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 11,433 | 4.6% |
| #5 | Michigan | | 11,433 | 4.6% |
| #6 | New York | | 11,384 | 4.6% |
| #7 | Pennsylvania | | 10,842 | 4.4% |
| #8 | North Carolina | | 9,510 | 3.8% |
California share of Rodney's total US births 7.2%
Even split
17,709 of 247,150 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Rodney appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Rodney? ▼
Rodney has been given to 247,150 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #1078 as of the latest data. 11,086 babies were born in 1965, its single highest year.
When was Rodney most popular? ▼
Rodney was most popular in the 1960s decade with 72,194 total births. The single peak year was 1965.
Where is Rodney most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Rodney are California (17,709 births), Texas (16,069 births), Ohio (12,988 births).
How long has the name Rodney been used? ▼
Rodney has been recorded in Social Security data since 1880, spanning 146 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Rodney? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Roderick, Rodolfo, Rodrigo, Rodger, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Rodney's data
- Rodney's decade-level peak was the 1960s (72,194 total births); usage has since declined to 1,306 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Rodneys (17,709 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Rodney
Nearby Names Like Rodney
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Rodney
Roderick Boy
#1904 47,183 births
Rodolfo Boy
#1448 33,773 births
Rodrigo Boy
#485 27,754 births
Rodger Boy
#8339 21,556 births
Rodrick Boy
#3534 8,963 births
Compare Rodney side by side: Rodney vs Roderick Rodney vs Rodolfo Rodney vs Rodrigo
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Rodney
Foster #1077
13,122 births · Peak 2025
Palmer #1079
9,264 births · Peak 2023
Ernest #1076
302,499 births · Peak 1921
Arham #1080
2,181 births · Peak 2024
Kreed #1075
1,469 births · Peak 2025
Veer #1081
2,922 births · Peak 2025
Gadiel #1074
2,568 births · Peak 2024
Kelvin #1082
51,551 births · Peak 1961
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Rodney: #1078 Boys' Name - 247,150 Births, Peak 1965." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/rodney. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Rodney draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.