Raland
Scandinavian name of unknown meaning, possibly related to rulers.
Name Census estimates that about 8 living Americans carry the first name Raland. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Raland today is around 68 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Raland births was 1959 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Raland. 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 Raland is about 68 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Ralands were born before 1968.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Raland. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
8
~ 1 in 42,844,292 Americans
Peak year
1959
5 babies that year
Average age
68
years old
1960 SSA rank
#4,466
Tracked since 1959
Popularity
Raland: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Raland from the 1950s through to the 1960s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 5 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Raland 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 Raland 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 Raland
The given name Raland has its origins in the Old Norse language, spoken by the Vikings and other Germanic tribes of Scandinavia during the 8th to 13th centuries. It is believed to be derived from the Old Norse elements "ra," meaning counsel or advice, and "land," referring to land or territory. The name may have been initially used to describe someone who provided wise counsel regarding matters related to land ownership or territorial disputes.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Raland can be found in the Icelandic Sagas, a collection of historical narratives and literary works from the 13th and 14th centuries. In the Saga of the Greenlanders, a character named Raland Hrafnsson is mentioned as an early settler in Greenland, having arrived from Iceland in the late 10th century.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Raland was relatively common among the Norse and Viking communities in Scandinavia and their settlements in other parts of Europe. Notable historical figures bearing this name include Raland Eiriksson (c. 1050-1120), a Norwegian chieftain and landowner who played a significant role in the battles between King Olaf III and the pagan Norse forces.
In the 13th century, a Danish nobleman named Raland Knudsen (c. 1220-1287) gained prominence as a trusted advisor to King Eric IV and was instrumental in negotiating several important land treaties and settlements during his tenure.
During the Renaissance period, the name Raland was also documented in some European regions influenced by Norse culture. One such individual was Raland Björnson (1472-1541), a Swedish scholar and diplomat who served as an ambassador to several European courts and was known for his expertise in land law and territorial disputes.
Another notable bearer of the name was Raland Halvorsen (1628-1698), a Norwegian explorer and cartographer who contributed significantly to the mapping and understanding of the Arctic regions, particularly the lands and territories around Greenland and Svalbard.
While the name Raland has become less common in modern times, it remains a part of the cultural heritage and historical legacy of the Norse and Viking peoples, reflecting their deep connection to the land and their emphasis on wise counsel and governance.
People
Raland + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Raland 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
Raland: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Raland?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 8 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Raland 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 Raland a common name?
We classify Raland 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, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Raland most popular?
The single biggest year for Raland was 1959, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Raland is about 68 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 Raland in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Raland a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Raland 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 Raland still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Raland 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 Raland 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 Americans are named Raland?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.