Rhodri
A Welsh masculine given name derived from Old Welsh "rhodri", meaning "lord, great ruler".
Name Census estimates that about 11 living Americans carry the first name Rhodri. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Rhodri today is around 6 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rhodri births was 2017 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rhodri. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Rhodri with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Rhodri. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
11
~ 1 in 31,159,485 Americans
Peak year
2017
6 babies that year
Average age
6
years old
2024 SSA rank
#13,763
Tracked since 2017
Popularity
Rhodri: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rhodri from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 6 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
Rhodri 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 Rhodri 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 Rhodri
The name Rhodri has its origins in the Welsh language and culture, dating back to the early medieval period. It is derived from the Old Welsh word "rhodri," which means "great wanderer" or "traveler." The name is closely associated with the ancient Britons and the Welsh kingdom of Gwynedd.
In the 9th century, Rhodri the Great, also known as Rhodri ap Merfyn (c. 820-878), was a prominent ruler of Gwynedd in northern Wales. He is considered one of the most influential figures in early Welsh history, as he helped to establish a unified Welsh kingdom and played a significant role in the resistance against Anglo-Saxon expansion.
Another notable figure with the name Rhodri was Rhodri ap Hywel (c. 920-953), a King of Gwynedd who reigned in the mid-10th century. He is remembered for his efforts to consolidate power and defend his kingdom against Viking raids and the growing influence of the Anglo-Saxons.
In the 12th century, Rhodri ab Owain Gwynedd (c. 1175-1195) was a prince of Gwynedd and a claimant to the throne. His life was marked by struggles for power and conflicts with his rivals, reflecting the turbulent political landscape of medieval Wales.
Moving forward in time, Rhodri Morgan (born 1939) was a prominent Welsh politician who served as the First Minister of Wales from 2000 to 2009. He played a crucial role in the establishment of the Welsh Assembly and the devolution of powers to Wales.
Another notable figure is Rhodri Marsden (born 1975), a British writer and columnist for publications such as The Independent and Wired UK. He has written extensively on technology, culture, and various aspects of modern life.
While the name Rhodri has its roots in ancient Welsh history, it continues to be used today, carrying the cultural heritage and significance of its origins. The name has been borne by rulers, princes, and influential figures throughout the centuries, reflecting its enduring legacy within the Welsh tradition.
People
Rhodri + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rhodri 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
Rhodri: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rhodri?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 11 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rhodri 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 31,159,485 US residents.
Is Rhodri a common name?
We classify Rhodri as "Very Rare". It ranks above 30.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 11 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rhodri most popular?
The single biggest year for Rhodri was 2017, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rhodri is about 6 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 Rhodri in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Rhodri a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rhodri 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 Rhodri still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Rhodri 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 Rhodri 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 Rhodri?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.