Rochelle
A feminine name with French origins, meaning "little rock".
Name Census estimates that about 36,966 living Americans carry the first name Rochelle. It is a predominantly female name (99.2% of registrations). The average person named Rochelle today is around 53 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rochelle births was 1969 (1,283 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rochelle. 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
- • Although Rochelle is used almost entirely for girls, the SSA data does show 401 boys registered with the name since 1880.
People living today
37K
~ 1 in 9,272 Americans
Peak year
1969
1,283 babies that year
Average age
53
years old
1995 SSA rank
#4,009
Tracked since 1900
Gender
Gender distribution for Rochelle
Out of the 47,367 babies given the name Rochelle since 1880, 99.2% were registered as female. The name sits firmly on the female side of the spectrum, with only a handful of male registrations across the entire dataset.
Rochelle as a male name
- Ranked #8,659 in 1995
- 6 male births in 1995
- Peak: 1962 (18 births)
Rochelle as a female name
- Ranked #4,009 in 2024
- 37 female births in 2024
- Peak: 1969 (1,270 births)
Popularity
Rochelle: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rochelle from the 1900s through to the 2020s, spanning 13 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 9,970 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rochelle 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 Rochelle during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Rochelles live
The SSA's state-level files cover 49 states and territories. California, New York, Illinois recorded the most babies named Rochelle, while Wyoming, Maine, Rhode Island recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 875 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Rochelle
The name Rochelle is of French origin and has its roots in the Old French word "rochelle," which means "little rock." It is believed to have been derived from the name of the French town of La Rochelle, located in the western part of the country.
The earliest recorded use of the name Rochelle dates back to the 12th century, where it was used as a surname for those who lived near or came from the town of La Rochelle. Over time, the name transitioned from a surname to a given name, particularly popular among French Christians.
One of the earliest documented references to the name Rochelle can be found in the "Chanson de Roland," an ancient French epic poem dating back to the late 11th century. In this poem, a character named Rochelle is mentioned as a brave warrior who fought alongside the legendary Roland.
During the Middle Ages, the name Rochelle gained popularity among the French nobility and aristocracy. One notable historical figure with this name was Rochelle de Montmorency (1492-1557), a French noblewoman and courtier who served as a lady-in-waiting to Queen Claude of France.
In the 17th century, the name Rochelle became associated with the Siege of La Rochelle, a significant event during the Huguenot rebellions in France. The city of La Rochelle was a Protestant stronghold, and its resistance against the Catholic forces led by King Louis XIII was renowned. This historical event further increased the name's recognition and association with strength and resilience.
Another notable figure with the name Rochelle was Rochelle de Vieux-Pont (1665-1722), a French playwright and poet who gained recognition for her works during the Age of Enlightenment. Her plays often explored themes of love, tragedy, and societal issues, earning her a prominent place in French literary history.
In the 19th century, the name Rochelle was popularized in the United States, particularly among French-Americans. One prominent American figure with this name was Rochelle Saltonstall (1792-1857), a philanthropist and social reformer who dedicated her life to improving the lives of the underprivileged and advocating for women's rights.
As the name Rochelle spread across different cultures and regions, it continued to be associated with strength, resilience, and a connection to French heritage. Rochelle Ascher (1901-1994) was a German-born American artist and sculptor known for her innovative works in metal and her involvement in the Bauhaus movement. Rochelle Owens (1936-present) is an American poet and playwright celebrated for her experimental writing and contributions to the avant-garde literary scene.
People
Rochelle + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rochelle 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
Rochelle: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rochelle?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 36,966 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rochelle 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 9,272 US residents.
Is Rochelle a common name?
We classify Rochelle as "Uncommon". It ranks above 99% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 47,367 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rochelle most popular?
The single biggest year for Rochelle was 1969, when 1,283 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rochelle is about 53 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Rochelle a female name?
Yes, 99.2% of people registered as Rochelle 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.