Rochard
A French masculine given name derived from the Germanic elements "ric" meaning power and "hard" meaning brave or strong.
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Rochard. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Rochard today is around 43 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rochard births was 1981 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rochard. 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 Rochard. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1981
5 babies that year
Average age
43
years old
1981 SSA rank
#7,059
Tracked since 1981
Popularity
Rochard: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Rochard 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 Rochard during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Rochard
The name Rochard is of French origin, derived from the Germanic root "ric" meaning "ruler" or "powerful." It likely emerged during the Middle Ages, when French culture and language were heavily influenced by the Frankish and Norman conquests of the region.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rochard comes from the 11th century, when a nobleman named Rochard de Beaumont was mentioned in the annals of the Norman court. He was a vassal of William the Conqueror and fought alongside him during the Norman conquest of England in 1066.
In the 13th century, a renowned French theologian and philosopher named Rochard de Middleton gained recognition for his work on medieval scholasticism. He was a prominent figure in the intellectual circles of Paris and is believed to have influenced the works of Thomas Aquinas.
During the Renaissance period, a French artist named Rochard Delamarre (1470-1537) gained acclaim for his intricate woodcarvings and sculptures adorning several churches and cathedrals across France. His masterpiece, a carved altarpiece in the Basilica of St. Denis, is still admired today for its exquisite craftsmanship.
In the 17th century, Rochard de La Rochefoucauld (1613-1680) was a French nobleman and author known for his witty and insightful maxims on human nature and society. His book, "Maxims," became a classic of French literature and is still widely read and studied.
Another notable figure with the name Rochard was the 19th-century French explorer and naturalist, Rochard Dumont d'Urville (1790-1842). He led several scientific expeditions to the Pacific and Antarctic regions, making significant contributions to the fields of geography, oceanography, and botany.
While the name Rochard has its roots in French history and culture, it has since spread to other parts of the world, often adapted to local spellings and pronunciations. However, its origins and meaning as a powerful and commanding name have endured throughout the centuries.
People
Rochard + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rochard 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
Rochard: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rochard?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rochard 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Rochard a common name?
We classify Rochard as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rochard most popular?
The single biggest year for Rochard was 1981, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rochard is about 43 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 Rochard in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Rochard a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rochard 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 Rochard still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Rochard 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 Rochard 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 have the name Rochard?
See how many people have the name Rochard on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.