Rolayne
A feminine name of uncertain origin, potentially combining elements of French and English.
Name Census estimates that about 27 living Americans carry the first name Rolayne. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Rolayne today is around 75 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rolayne births was 1948 (16 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rolayne. 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 Rolayne is about 75 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Rolaynes were born before 1961.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Rolayne. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
27
~ 1 in 12,694,605 Americans
Peak year
1948
16 babies that year
Average age
75
years old
1952 SSA rank
#4,408
Tracked since 1948
Popularity
Rolayne: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rolayne from the 1940s through to the 1950s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1940s, with 32 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1940s peak, Rolayne remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rolayne 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 Rolayne during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Rolaynes live
Origin
Meaning and history of Rolayne
The name Rolayne is a relatively uncommon given name that has its origins in the ancient French language. It is believed to have derived from the Germanic root words "rod" and "lant," which translate to "famous" and "land" respectively. The combination of these words suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who was renowned or well-known within a particular region or territory.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rolayne can be found in the medieval French manuscript "Chanson de Roland," which dates back to the 11th century. In this epic poem, Rolayne is mentioned as the name of a minor character, possibly a servant or attendant to one of the noble knights. This reference provides evidence that the name was in use during the Middle Ages, at least within certain regions of France.
Throughout the centuries, the name Rolayne has been borne by a number of notable individuals, although it has never been particularly widespread or popular. One such example is Rolayne Deschamps, a 15th-century French poet and courtier who served under Charles VII and Louis XI. Her poetry, which often explored themes of love and courtly life, has been preserved and studied by scholars of medieval literature.
Another historical figure with the name Rolayne was Rolayne de Villeneuve, a 16th-century noblewoman from Provence, France. She was known for her involvement in the religious and political conflicts of the time, particularly her support for the Protestant Reformation and her opposition to the Catholic monarchy.
In the 18th century, there was a Rolayne Dubois, a French actress and dancer who performed at the Comédie-Française in Paris. She was celebrated for her talent and grace on stage, and is mentioned in several contemporary accounts of the Parisian theater scene.
Moving into the 19th century, Rolayne Foucault was a French philosopher and social theorist who wrote extensively on the concepts of power, knowledge, and discourse. Her work had a significant impact on the fields of sociology, cultural studies, and critical theory, and she is considered one of the most influential thinkers of the modern era.
Despite its rich history and notable bearers, the name Rolayne has remained relatively uncommon throughout the centuries. Its origins and meaning, however, serve as a reminder of the cultural and linguistic diversity that has shaped the development of given names across the globe.
People
Rolayne + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rolayne 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
Rolayne: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rolayne?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 27 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rolayne 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 12,694,605 US residents.
Is Rolayne a common name?
We classify Rolayne as "Very Rare". It ranks above 44.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 45 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rolayne most popular?
The single biggest year for Rolayne was 1948, when 16 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rolayne is about 75 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 Rolayne in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Rolayne a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rolayne 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 Rolayne still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Rolayne 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 Rolayne 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 common is the name Rolayne?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.