Rousseau
A French masculine name meaning "little redhead" or "little reddish one".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Rousseau. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Rousseau today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rousseau births was 2019 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rousseau. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Rousseau. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2019
5 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2019 SSA rank
#13,741
Tracked since 2019
Popularity
Rousseau: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Rousseau 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 Rousseau during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Rousseau
The name Rousseau has its origins in the French language and culture. It emerged as a surname in the Middle Ages, deriving from the Old French words "rous" and "sel," meaning "red" and "rocky soil," respectively. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived or worked on reddish, rocky land.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rousseau dates back to the 13th century, when it appeared in documents from the region of Burgundy, France. The name gained prominence during the Renaissance period, particularly due to the influential philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778), whose works significantly shaped modern political and educational thought.
In the 17th century, the name Rousseau was associated with the French philosopher and mathematician René Descartes (1596-1650), who was born in the town of La Haye en Touraine. Descartes is widely regarded as the father of modern philosophy and is renowned for his influential statement, "I think, therefore I am."
Another notable figure bearing the name Rousseau was the French painter Henri Rousseau (1844-1910), known as "Le Douanier Rousseau" (The Customs Officer Rousseau). He was a self-taught artist whose unique and imaginative style influenced the development of modern art.
In the realm of literature, the name Rousseau is associated with the French writer Victor Rousseau (1865-1954), who was a prolific author of novels, short stories, and plays. His works often explored themes of love, passion, and the human condition.
The name Rousseau also gained recognition in the field of music through the French composer Albert Rousseau (1869-1937), who was known for his orchestral works and operas. His compositions were influenced by the Impressionist movement and showcased a mastery of harmonic techniques.
While the name Rousseau is predominantly French in origin, it has been adopted and used in various cultures and regions around the world, reflecting the widespread influence of French language and culture throughout history.
People
Rousseau + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rousseau 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
Rousseau: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rousseau?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rousseau 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Rousseau a common name?
We classify Rousseau as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rousseau most popular?
The single biggest year for Rousseau was 2019, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rousseau is about 7 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Rousseau in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Rousseau a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rousseau 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.
Is Rousseau still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Rousseau in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Rousseau can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Rousseau?
You can see how many people have the name Rousseau on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.