Romney
An English name derived from an Old English place name meaning "where the brambles or broom plants grow".
Name Census estimates that about 280 living Americans carry the first name Romney. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 84.5% of registrations being male. The average person named Romney today is around 39 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Romney births was 1963 (16 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Romney. 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
280
~ 1 in 1,224,123 Americans
Peak year
1963
16 babies that year
Average age
39
years old
2018 SSA rank
#9,936
Tracked since 1921
Gender
Gender distribution for Romney
Romney leans heavily male at 84.5% of total registrations, but 48 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Romney as a male name
- Ranked #13,701 in 2018
- 5 male births in 2018
- Peak: 2012 (16 births)
Romney as a female name
- Ranked #9,936 in 1983
- 6 female births in 1983
- Peak: 1965 (8 births)
Popularity
Romney: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Romney from the 1920s through to the 2010s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 67 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
Romney 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 Romney during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Romneys live
Origin
Meaning and history of Romney
The name Romney has its origins in the Old English language, derived from the words "rum" meaning "spacious" and "ey" meaning "island." It was initially used as a place name for a settlement located on a large island or a wide expanse of land. The earliest recorded use of the name dates back to the 8th century AD, during the Anglo-Saxon period in England.
One of the first notable individuals with the name Romney was Romeny, a 9th-century Anglo-Saxon nobleman who was recorded in the Domesday Book, a historical record commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name also appeared in various medieval chronicles and charters, indicating its widespread use among the English nobility and gentry.
In the 16th century, the name Romney gained prominence with the birth of George Romney (1734-1802), an English portrait painter who was renowned for his depictions of high society figures and landscapes. His works are exhibited in prestigious galleries such as the National Gallery in London and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Another historical figure bearing the name was Reverend John Romney (1768-1842), an English clergyman and academic who served as the President of Harvard College, now known as Harvard University, from 1809 to 1826. He played a significant role in shaping the institution's curriculum and promoting intellectual discourse during his tenure.
In the realm of literature, the name Romney is associated with the character of Romney Leigh, a major figure in Elizabeth Barrett Browning's acclaimed novel-poem "Aurora Leigh," published in 1856. The character's name was likely influenced by the renowned painter George Romney, reflecting the author's appreciation for the arts.
Moving into the 20th century, Romney Brent (1918-2003) was an American actor and playwright who gained recognition for his performances on Broadway and in films such as "The Manchurian Candidate" (1962) and "The Molly Maguires" (1970). His career spanned several decades, showcasing his versatility as a performer.
These examples illustrate the historical significance and diverse backgrounds of individuals who have borne the name Romney throughout the centuries, spanning various fields including art, academia, literature, and entertainment. While the name's origins can be traced back to Old English, its usage has transcended cultural and geographical boundaries, becoming a part of the rich tapestry of human nomenclature.
People
Romney + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Romney 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
Romney: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Romney?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 280 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Romney 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 1,224,123 US residents.
Is Romney a common name?
We classify Romney as "Very Rare". It ranks above 78.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 310 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Romney most popular?
The single biggest year for Romney was 1963, when 16 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Romney is about 39 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Romney a male name?
Yes, 84.5% of people registered as Romney 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.