Roann
Feminine name derived from the name Rhoan meaning "from the little stream".
Name Census estimates that about 164 living Americans carry the first name Roann. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Roann today is around 68 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Roann births was 1959 (19 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Roann. 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 Roann is about 68 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Roanns were born before 1968.
People living today
164
~ 1 in 2,089,965 Americans
Peak year
1959
19 babies that year
Average age
68
years old
1975 SSA rank
#10,205
Tracked since 1930
Popularity
Roann: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Roann from the 1930s through to the 1970s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 123 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1950s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Roann 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 Roann 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 Roann
The name Roann has its origins in the Gaelic language, which was spoken in ancient Ireland and Scotland. It is believed to have emerged around the 5th century CE, during the period when Christianity was spreading across the Celtic regions of Europe.
The name Roann is derived from the Gaelic word "ròn," which means "seal" or "sea lion." It likely originated as a nickname or a descriptive name, possibly given to someone who lived near the sea or had a connection to these marine animals.
In ancient Irish and Scottish texts, there are references to individuals bearing the name Roann or its variant spellings, such as Róan, Roan, or Rónan. However, the earliest recorded instance of the name Roann itself is from the 9th century, when it appeared in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name Roann was Roann mac Baithéne (c. 550 – 635 CE), an Irish monk and scribe who lived during the 6th and 7th centuries. He is renowned for his work in transcribing and preserving ancient Irish manuscripts.
Another notable historical figure with the name Roann was Roann of Iona (c. 625 – 686 CE), a Scottish monk and abbot of the monastery on the Isle of Iona. He played a significant role in the spread of Christianity in Scotland and is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church.
In the 11th century, Roann mac Cináeda (c. 1005 – 1064 CE) was a Scottish nobleman and ruler of the Kingdom of Gowrie. He is mentioned in various chronicles of the time for his involvement in conflicts between Scottish clans.
Moving forward in time, Roann Ó Cléirigh (c. 1590 – 1643 CE) was an Irish historian and chronicler who compiled several important works on Irish genealogy and history, including the Annals of the Four Masters.
Another noteworthy bearer of the name was Roann MacPherson (c. 1760 – 1835 CE), a Scottish soldier who served in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars. He is remembered for his bravery and leadership in several key battles.
While the name Roann has its roots in the Gaelic language and Celtic cultures, it has been adopted and used in various parts of the world throughout history, with individuals from different backgrounds bearing this name.
People
Roann + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Roann 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
Roann: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Roann?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 164 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Roann 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 2,089,965 US residents.
Is Roann a common name?
We classify Roann as "Very Rare". It ranks above 71.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 238 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Roann most popular?
The single biggest year for Roann was 1959, when 19 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Roann is about 68 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Roann a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Roann 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.
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.