Rola
Rola is a feminine given name of uncertain origin, possibly Arabic or Latin.
Name Census estimates that about 154 living Americans carry the first name Rola. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Rola today is around 27 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rola births was 1984 (11 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rola. 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.
People living today
154
~ 1 in 2,225,678 Americans
Peak year
1984
11 babies that year
Average age
27
years old
2020 SSA rank
#13,185
Tracked since 1923
Popularity
Rola: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rola from the 1920s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 59 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rola 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 Rola 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 Rola
The name Rola is of Arabic origin, derived from the word "rula," meaning "ruby" or "little pearl." It has been a popular name in the Middle East for centuries, particularly in countries like Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria.
The earliest recorded use of the name Rola dates back to the 7th century AD, around the time of the Islamic golden age. It is believed to have been inspired by the beauty and rarity of rubies, which were highly prized gemstones in the region.
In Islamic literature, the name Rola is sometimes associated with the concept of purity and innocence. It is mentioned in some Sufi poetry and mystical texts as a symbol of spiritual beauty and enlightenment.
One of the earliest recorded figures to bear the name Rola was Rola bint al-Walid, a prominent Arab woman who lived in the 7th century AD. She was known for her wisdom and influential role in her community.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals named Rola:
1. Rola Dashti (1964 - present), a Kuwaiti author and scholar known for her works on women's rights and Islamic feminist thought.
2. Rola Saad (1981 - present), a Lebanese-Canadian journalist and news anchor who has worked for various international media outlets.
3. Rola Hoteit (1965 - present), a Lebanese fashion designer and entrepreneur who founded her eponymous fashion label in the 1990s.
4. Rola Noureddine (1970 - present), a Syrian artist and painter whose works have been exhibited in galleries around the world.
5. Rola Sleiman (1975 - present), a Lebanese singer and actress who has appeared in several popular Arabic television shows and films.
While the name Rola has its roots in the Arab world, it has gained popularity in other cultures and regions over time. It is a name that evokes beauty, elegance, and a connection to the rich cultural heritage of the Middle East.
People
Rola + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rola 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
Rola: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rola?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 154 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rola 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 2,225,678 US residents.
Is Rola a common name?
We classify Rola as "Very Rare". It ranks above 70.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 164 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rola most popular?
The single biggest year for Rola was 1984, when 11 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rola is about 27 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Rola a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rola 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.