Roman first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Roman has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Roman

Of Latin origin, literally meaning "a Roman citizen".

Popularity of Roman by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Roman is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 99% of people named Roman being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 4,777 male babies and 27 female babies born with the name Roman.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 27 baby girls were named Roman in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 4,777 27
2022 4,706 20
2021 4,552 31
2020 4,481 28
2019 4,908 31
2018 4,385 18
2017 4,276 22
2016 4,220 27
2015 3,889 25
2014 3,476 16
2013 2,885 12
2012 2,576 10
2011 2,464 10
2010 1,991 6
2009 1,836 6
2008 1,931 10
2007 1,890 7
2006 1,817 8
2005 1,864 0
2004 1,396 8
2003 1,046 0
2002 1,044 0
2001 985 0
2000 905 5
1999 787 5
1998 806 7
1997 739 0
1996 672 5
1995 648 5
1994 624 0
1993 661 6
1992 626 0
1991 601 0
1990 623 7
1989 572 11
1988 507 7
1987 404 5
1986 390 0
1985 363 7
1984 410 0
1983 385 5
1982 371 0
1981 286 0
1980 258 0
1979 285 0
1978 260 7
1977 291 7
1976 317 5
1975 350 0
1974 349 6

The history of the first name Roman

The name Roman has its origins in the Latin language and is derived from the word "Romanus," which means "of Rome" or "Roman." This name has a rich history that can be traced back to ancient Rome, where it was initially used to identify citizens of the Roman Empire.

During the Roman Empire, the name Roman held great significance. It was a name that embodied the ideals of Roman culture, such as strength, valor, and loyalty to the state. Many prominent figures from this era bore the name, including several Roman emperors, such as Romanus I Lecapenus, who ruled the Byzantine Empire from 920 to 944 AD.

As Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire, the name Roman also gained religious connotations. It was associated with the Christian Church in Rome and its influence on the development of Western civilization. One notable figure was Saint Roman the Melodist, a 6th-century Byzantine composer and hymnographer.

In the Middle Ages, the name Roman continued to be used across Europe, particularly in regions that were part of the former Roman Empire or had strong ties to the Catholic Church. For example, Roman the Great, a 9th-century king of Western Francia, was a prominent figure during the Carolingian dynasty.

The Renaissance period saw a resurgence of interest in classical Roman culture, leading to a renewed popularity of the name Roman. One of the most famous individuals with this name was Roman Romanov, the first Tsar of the Romanov dynasty, who ruled Russia from 1613 to 1645.

Over the centuries, the name Roman has been borne by many notable figures from various fields. These include Roman Vishniac, a Russian-American photographer and pioneer of photomicroscopy (1897-1990); Roman Polanski, a Polish-French film director and screenwriter (born 1933); Roman Abramovich, a Russian-Israeli businessman and former governor of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug (born 1966); Roman Reigns, an American professional wrestler (born 1985); and Roman Coppola, an American filmmaker and entrepreneur (born 1965).

While the name Roman has its roots in ancient Rome, it has transcended its geographical and cultural boundaries, becoming a popular choice across various regions and ethnicities. Its enduring popularity can be attributed to its rich historical significance and the positive associations it evokes.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Roman was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Roman, please contact us.

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"Roman first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 31, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/roman-meaning-and-history/.

"Roman first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/roman-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 31 October, 2024

Roman first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/roman-meaning-and-history/.

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