Find out how popular the first name Roddy has been for the last 49 years (from 1974 to 2022) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Roddy by gender

Based on the last 49 years of data, Roddy is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2022, there were 6 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Roddy.

The history of the first name Roddy

The name Roddy is a diminutive form of the Scottish name Roderick, which itself comes from the Gaelic name Ruadhrí. Ruadhrí is derived from the elements "ruadh" meaning "red" and "rí" meaning "king". The name gained popularity in Scotland during the Middle Ages.

Roddy is thought to have first appeared as a distinct name in the 16th century, as a pet form of Roderick. It was primarily used in Scotland and parts of northern England. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Roddy is from a historical record dated to 1587, which mentions a "Roddy MacDonald" from the Scottish Highlands.

In the 17th century, a notable bearer of the name Roddy was Roddy MacLeod (c. 1620 - c. 1675), a Scottish soldier and chief of the Clan MacLeod. He played a role in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms and is mentioned in several historical accounts from that period.

Another historical figure with the name Roddy was Roddy Macaulay (1718 - 1789), a Scottish Gaelic poet and scholar from the Isle of Lewis. He is known for his collection of Gaelic poetry and his efforts to preserve the Gaelic language and culture.

In the 19th century, Roddy Menzies (1833 - 1897) was a Scottish-born Australian politician and landowner. He served as a member of the Legislative Council of Western Australia and played a significant role in the development of the state's agricultural industry.

One of the most famous bearers of the name Roddy in modern times was Roddy McDowall (1928 - 1998), a British-American actor and director. He had a long and successful career in film and television, appearing in classics such as Lassie Come Home, Planet of the Apes, and Fright Night.

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 Roddy was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Roddy, 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!