Romani
An Indic name referring to the Romani people, traditionally travelling communities.
Name Census estimates that about 277 living Americans carry the first name Romani. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 62.0% of registrations being male. The average person named Romani today is around 8 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Romani births was 2022 (40 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Romani. 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
277
~ 1 in 1,237,380 Americans
Peak year
2022
40 babies that year
Average age
8
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,833
Tracked since 2000
Gender
Gender distribution for Romani
Romani is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 279 total registrations, 173 (62.0%) were male and 106 (38.0%) were female.
Romani as a male name
- Ranked #4,833 in 2024
- 21 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2022 (26 births)
Romani as a female name
- Ranked #8,302 in 2024
- 13 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2019 (15 births)
Popularity
Romani: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Romani from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 136 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
Romani 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 Romani 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 Romani
The name Romani has its origins in the Latin language, derived from the word "Romanus," which means "of Rome" or "Roman." This name's earliest recorded use can be traced back to ancient Rome, where it was initially used as a surname or family name. The name gained popularity during the Roman Empire's expansion, as it was often given to individuals born within the empire's territories.
During the medieval period, the name Romani became associated with individuals of Roman descent or those who embraced the Roman culture and traditions. It was commonly used by scholars, artists, and intellectuals who studied and admired the Roman civilization's legacy. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was Romani Petri, a 12th-century Italian scholar and philosopher.
In the Renaissance era, the name Romani experienced a resurgence in popularity, particularly among humanists and artists who sought inspiration from the classical Roman era. One notable figure from this period was Romani Romanino, an Italian Renaissance painter born in 1484 and known for his frescoes and religious paintings in the Brescian style.
As the name Romani spread across Europe, it also found its way into literature and historical records. In the 16th century, Romani Romae was a renowned Italian poet and scholar who wrote extensively about the history and culture of Rome. His works were widely read and influential during his time.
During the Age of Exploration, the name Romani was carried to various parts of the world by explorers, settlers, and colonists. One such individual was Romani Aventino, a Spanish explorer born in 1514, who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expeditions to Mexico and Central America.
In more recent times, the name Romani has been associated with various notable figures, including Romani Prodi, an Italian politician and former Prime Minister of Italy, born in 1939. Another prominent figure is Romani Arole, an Indian social activist and doctor born in 1956, known for her work in promoting women's health and empowerment.
While the name Romani has its roots in Latin and Roman culture, it has transcended borders and been embraced by individuals from different backgrounds and cultures throughout history, reflecting the enduring influence of the Roman civilization on various aspects of society.
People
Romani + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Romani 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
Romani: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Romani?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 277 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Romani 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 1,237,380 US residents.
Is Romani a common name?
We classify Romani as "Very Rare". It ranks above 78.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 279 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Romani most popular?
The single biggest year for Romani was 2022, when 40 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Romani is about 8 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Romani a male name?
Yes, 62.0% of people registered as Romani 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.