Rolen
A masculine name derived from the Old English elements "ro" and "læn", meaning "famous" and "resting place".
Name Census estimates that about 154 living Americans carry the first name Rolen. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Rolen today is around 21 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rolen births was 2005 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rolen. 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
2005
12 babies that year
Average age
21
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,168
Tracked since 1913
Popularity
Rolen: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rolen from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 67 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Rolen remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rolen 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 Rolen during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Rolens live
Origin
Meaning and history of Rolen
The name Rolen is believed to have originated from the Old English language, with its roots dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period around the 5th to 11th centuries. It is derived from the combination of two Old English words: "rol," meaning a roll or a scroll, and "en," a diminutive suffix indicating smallness or endearment.
The name Rolen was initially used as a surname, referring to someone who was a scribe, a scholar, or a keeper of records and scrolls. It was not until the later medieval period that Rolen started to gain popularity as a given name, particularly among the educated classes and those associated with religious institutions or scholarly pursuits.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rolen can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and estates commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a "Rolen de Bury," who was likely a landowner or a person of some significance in the region.
In the 12th century, a renowned scholar and theologian named Rolen of Arundel (c. 1110-1180) gained prominence for his writings on canon law and his contributions to the ecclesiastical courts of England. His works were widely circulated and studied in monastic circles, further elevating the name's association with learning and scholarship.
Another notable figure bearing the name Rolen was Sir Rolen de Vere (c. 1240-1305), an English nobleman and military commander who served under King Edward I during the Welsh Wars and the Scottish Wars of Independence. He was renowned for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.
During the Renaissance period, the name Rolen gained further recognition through the works of the Italian humanist scholar and poet Rolen Malatesta (c. 1432-1508). His literary contributions, particularly his sonnets and love poems, earned him widespread acclaim and influenced the poetic traditions of his time.
In the 16th century, the Spanish conquistador and explorer Rolen de Alarcón (c. 1500-1541) left his mark on history by leading expeditions into present-day California and establishing the first European settlement in the region. His explorations and encounters with indigenous peoples contributed significantly to the early mapping and understanding of the American West.
While the name Rolen has experienced periods of relative obscurity, its historical associations with scholarship, nobility, and exploration have endured, making it a unique and distinctive choice for parents seeking a name with a rich cultural heritage.
People
Rolen + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rolen 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
Rolen: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rolen?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 154 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rolen 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 Rolen a common name?
We classify Rolen 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, 218 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rolen most popular?
The single biggest year for Rolen was 2005, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rolen is about 21 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Rolen a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rolen in the SSA data are male. 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.