Roetta
A feminine name likely derived from an English surname of Old French origin, possibly meaning "little rose".
Name Census estimates that about 11 living Americans carry the first name Roetta. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Roetta today is around 78 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Roetta births was 1935 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Roetta. 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 Roetta is about 78 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Roettas were born before 1958.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Roetta. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
11
~ 1 in 31,159,485 Americans
Peak year
1935
6 babies that year
Average age
78
years old
1954 SSA rank
#5,620
Tracked since 1932
Popularity
Roetta: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Roetta from the 1930s through to the 1950s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 11 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
Roetta 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 Roetta 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 Roetta
The name Roetta originates from the French language and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "roe," which means "red" or "ruddy," and was likely used as a descriptive name to refer to someone with reddish hair or a reddish complexion.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Roetta can be found in the 13th century French text "Le Roman de la Rose," a renowned medieval allegorical poem. The name appears as a character in the poem, indicating its usage during that era.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Roetta. One prominent figure was Roetta Crayton (1895-1976), an American blues singer and songwriter who was active during the 1920s and 1930s. She is considered a pioneer of the classic female blues style and is known for her powerful vocals and influential recordings.
Another individual of note was Roetta Liston (1892-1981), an American educator and civil rights activist. She dedicated her life to promoting equal educational opportunities for African American students and played a significant role in desegregating schools in the state of Kansas.
In the realm of literature, Roetta Stembridge (1918-2006) was an acclaimed American author and illustrator of children's books. Her works, including "Beatrice and the Wooden Shoe," and "Seven Shades of Navajo Blue," were widely praised for their poetic storytelling and beautiful illustrations.
Moving across the Atlantic, Roetta Vaglio (1891-1979) was an Italian sculptor and ceramist renowned for her intricate and expressive works. Her sculptures, often depicting religious themes and human figures, were exhibited in numerous galleries and museums throughout Italy and Europe.
Lastly, Roetta Brilingia (1923-2005) was a respected Dutch painter and printmaker known for her vibrant and abstracted landscapes. Her artworks were widely exhibited and are held in several prominent collections, including the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the name Roetta throughout history, each leaving their mark in various fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of cultural heritage.
People
Roetta + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Roetta 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
Roetta: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Roetta?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 11 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Roetta 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 31,159,485 US residents.
Is Roetta a common name?
We classify Roetta as "Very Rare". It ranks above 30.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 27 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Roetta most popular?
The single biggest year for Roetta was 1935, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Roetta is about 78 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Roetta a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Roetta 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.