Rodena
A feminine name of Spanish origin meaning "surrounded, encircled".
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Rodena. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Rodena today is around 73 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rodena births was 1951 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rodena. 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 Rodena is about 73 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Rodenas were born before 1963.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Rodena. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
1951
7 babies that year
Average age
73
years old
1951 SSA rank
#4,738
Tracked since 1943
Popularity
Rodena: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rodena from the 1940s through to the 1950s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 12 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rodena 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 Rodena 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 Rodena
The name Rodena is believed to have originated from the Slavic languages, specifically from the Croatian region of the Balkan Peninsula. Its roots can be traced back to the early medieval period, around the 6th or 7th century AD. The name is derived from the Slavic word "rod," meaning "kin" or "family," and is likely a feminine variation of the male name Rodion or Rodimir.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rodena can be found in the chronicles of the Benedictine monastery in Split, Croatia, dating back to the 11th century. The chronicles mention a noblewoman named Rodena, who was a benefactor of the monastery and donated significant land and resources.
In the 13th century, a Croatian princess named Rodena became a prominent figure in the region. She was the daughter of King Bela IV of Hungary and married the Croatian nobleman Stjepan Šubić, who later became the Ban (viceroy) of Croatia. Rodena was renowned for her piety and patronage of the arts and played a significant role in the cultural and religious life of the region.
During the Renaissance period, a Croatian poet and playwright named Rodena Radetić (c. 1450-1510) gained recognition for her contributions to the literary scene. Her works, which often explored themes of love and spirituality, were widely read and celebrated in her time.
In the 18th century, a Russian noblewoman named Rodena Vorontsova (1739-1792) became a prominent figure at the court of Catherine the Great. She was known for her intelligence, wit, and influence in the cultural and political circles of St. Petersburg.
Another notable figure with the name Rodena was the Serbian painter Rodena Miljković (1876-1958). She was a pioneer of the modernist movement in Serbian art and was renowned for her vibrant and expressive paintings that captured the spirit of her time.
While the name Rodena has its roots in the Slavic cultures of the Balkans, it has spread to other parts of the world over the centuries, though it remains relatively uncommon. The name is a testament to the rich cultural heritage of the Slavic region and its enduring influence on naming traditions.
People
Rodena + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rodena 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
Rodena: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rodena?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rodena 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 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Rodena a common name?
We classify Rodena as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 17 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rodena most popular?
The single biggest year for Rodena was 1951, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rodena is about 73 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 Rodena in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Rodena a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rodena 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.
Is Rodena still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Rodena 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 Rodena 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 Americans are named Rodena?
See how many people share the name Rodena on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.