Rhode
A French feminine name referring to the Greek island of Rhodes.
Name Census estimates that about 19 living Americans carry the first name Rhode. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 73.7% of registrations being male. The average person named Rhode today is around 11 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rhode births was 2024 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rhode. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Rhode. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
19
~ 1 in 18,039,702 Americans
Peak year
2024
8 babies that year
Average age
11
years old
2024 SSA rank
#9,653
Tracked since 1989
Gender
Gender distribution for Rhode
Rhode is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 19 total registrations, 14 (73.7%) were male and 5 (26.3%) were female.
Rhode as a male name
- Ranked #9,653 in 2024
- 8 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (8 births)
Rhode as a female name
- Ranked #13,969 in 1989
- 5 female births in 1989
- Peak: 1989 (5 births)
Popularity
Rhode: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rhode from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 14 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
Rhode 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 Rhode 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 Rhode
The given name Rhode originates from the Greek language and culture, dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Greek word "rhodon," which means "rose." The name is associated with the vibrant and beautiful flower, symbolizing love, beauty, and passion.
In Greek mythology, the name Rhode is connected to the goddess of the same name, who was worshipped as a protector of the island of Rhodes. She was considered the embodiment of the island's natural beauty and fertility. The name was commonly used among the ancient Greeks, particularly in the Aegean region, where the island of Rhodes was located.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rhode can be found in the works of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who lived in the 5th century BCE. He mentioned a woman named Rhode in his writings, suggesting that the name was in use during that time period.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Rhode. One prominent figure was Rhode, the daughter of the Roman emperor Maximian, who lived in the late 3rd and early 4th centuries CE. She was known for her beauty and her influence in the imperial court.
Another historical figure named Rhode was a Byzantine noblewoman who lived in the 11th century CE. She was the wife of the Byzantine emperor Constantine IX Monomachos and played a significant role in the political affairs of the empire during her husband's reign.
In the 16th century, Rhode Bathurst (1561-1624) was an English noblewoman and landowner in Worcestershire. She was known for her philanthropic efforts and her support for the local community.
During the Renaissance period, Rhode Lecocq (1497-1537) was a French painter and miniaturist who worked for the French royal court. She was renowned for her exquisite portraits and miniature paintings, which are still admired today.
In the 19th century, Rhode Knight (1825-1887) was an American abolitionist and women's rights activist. She played a significant role in the anti-slavery movement and advocated for women's suffrage in the United States.
The name Rhode, with its Greek origins and associations with beauty, nature, and mythology, has been a part of various cultures and historical periods, carried by individuals who have left their mark in various fields, from art and literature to politics and social movements.
People
Rhode + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rhode 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
Rhode: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rhode?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 19 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rhode 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 18,039,702 US residents.
Is Rhode a common name?
We classify Rhode as "Very Rare". It ranks above 39.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 19 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rhode most popular?
The single biggest year for Rhode was 2024, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rhode is about 11 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Rhode a male name?
Yes, 73.7% of people registered as Rhode 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.
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.