Romola
A female given name of uncertain origin, perhaps Italian.
Name Census estimates that about 2 living Americans carry the first name Romola. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Romola today is around 111 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Romola births was 1927 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Romola. 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 Romola is about 111 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Romolas were born before 1925.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Romola. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
2
~ 1 in 171,377,169 Americans
Peak year
1927
10 babies that year
Average age
111
years old
1940 SSA rank
#4,905
Tracked since 1880
Origin
Meaning and history of Romola
Romola is a feminine given name of Italian origin. It is derived from the Latin name Romulus, which was the name of the legendary founder of Rome. The name Romulus itself is believed to be derived from the Latin word "romulus," which means "citizen of Rome."
The name Romola first appeared in Italy during the Middle Ages, and it was likely used as a feminine form of the name Romulus. It was particularly popular in the regions of Tuscany and Umbria, where it was often associated with the city of Rome and its rich cultural heritage.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Romola was Romola de' Bardi, a Florentine noblewoman who lived in the 14th century. She was the subject of George Eliot's novel "Romola," published in 1863, which helped to popularize the name in English-speaking countries.
Other notable individuals named Romola throughout history include Romola Nijinsky (1892-1924), a Russian-American dancer and the wife of the famous ballet dancer Vaslav Nijinsky, and Romola Garai (born 1982), an English actress known for her roles in films such as "Atonement" and "Emma."
In the literary world, Romola Lonsdale (1918-1991) was an Australian author and playwright who wrote several works exploring themes of feminism and social justice. Another notable Romola was Romola Pisaroni (1910-1980), an Italian operatic mezzo-soprano who performed in numerous operas throughout Europe and the United States.
Romola Bakos (1925-2013) was a Hungarian-American artist and sculptor known for her abstract works in metal and stone. Her sculptures can be found in various public spaces and galleries around the world.
While the name Romola has its roots in Italian culture and history, it has been adopted and used in various parts of the world over the centuries, reflecting the cultural exchange and interconnectedness of different societies.
Notable bearers
Famous people named Romola
People
Romola + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Romola 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
Romola: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Romola?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Romola 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 171,377,169 US residents.
Is Romola a common name?
We classify Romola as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 56 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Romola most popular?
The single biggest year for Romola was 1927, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Romola is about 111 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Romola a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Romola 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.
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.