Find out how popular the first name Rocky has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Rocky by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Rocky is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 98% of people named Rocky being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 260 male babies and 31 female babies born with the name Rocky.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 31 baby girls were named Rocky in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Rocky

The name Rocky has its origins in the English language, derived from the word "rock," which itself comes from the Old English "roccian," meaning "to shake or sway." It is often associated with strength, stability, and resilience.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Rocky dates back to the 16th century, when it was occasionally used as a nickname or diminutive form of the name Roch or Rocco. These names were derived from the Latin name "Rochius," which was a variant of the German name "Rocchus."

In Christian tradition, Saint Rocco (also known as Saint Roch or Saint Rochus) was a Catholic saint born in the late 13th century, who is venerated as the patron saint of the sick and those suffering from plague or pestilence. His name, Rocchus, is believed to have influenced the later popularization of the name Rocky.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the first name Rocky. One of the earliest was Rocky Graziano (1919-1990), an American professional boxer and former World Middleweight Champion. He was born Thomas Rocco Barbella but adopted the nickname Rocky, which became his famous ring name.

Another famous Rocky was Rocky Marciano (1923-1969), an American professional boxer who held the World Heavyweight Championship from 1952 to 1956. He was born Rocco Francis Marchegiano but became known as Rocky Marciano during his illustrious boxing career.

In the realm of entertainment, Rocky Balboa is the name of the fictional boxer portrayed by Sylvester Stallone in the iconic "Rocky" film series, which debuted in 1976. The character's name has become synonymous with determination and perseverance in the face of adversity.

Rocky Dennis (1961-1979) was an American boy who was born with craniodiaphyseal dysplasia, a rare medical disorder that caused an abnormal calcification of the bones in his face. His life story was depicted in the 1985 film "Mask," starring Eric Stoltz.

Finally, Rocky Bleier (born 1946) is a former American football player who overcame severe injuries sustained during the Vietnam War to have a successful career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, winning four Super Bowl championships.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the first name Rocky throughout history, each contributing to the name's associations with resilience, strength, and determination.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Rocky was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Rocky, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!