Roxanne
A French feminine name of Persian origin meaning "dawn" or "bright".
Name Census estimates that about 49,000 living Americans carry the first name Roxanne. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Roxanne today is around 52 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Roxanne births was 1954 (2,232 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Roxanne. 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
- • Although Roxanne is used almost entirely for girls, the SSA data does show 55 boys registered with the name since 1880.
People living today
49K
~ 1 in 6,995 Americans
Peak year
1954
2,232 babies that year
Average age
52
years old
1988 SSA rank
#1,275
Tracked since 1906
Gender
Gender distribution for Roxanne
Out of the 59,414 babies given the name Roxanne since 1880, 99.9% were registered as female. The name sits firmly on the female side of the spectrum, with only a handful of male registrations across the entire dataset.
Roxanne as a male name
- Ranked #5,642 in 1988
- 8 male births in 1988
- Peak: 1987 (11 births)
Roxanne as a female name
- Ranked #1,275 in 2024
- 182 female births in 2024
- Peak: 1954 (2,232 births)
Popularity
Roxanne: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Roxanne from the 1900s through to the 2020s, spanning 13 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 16,618 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1950s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Roxanne 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 Roxanne during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Roxannes live
The SSA's state-level files cover 51 states and territories. California, Texas, New York recorded the most babies named Roxanne, while Delaware, Alaska, Vermont recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 1,087 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Roxanne
The name Roxanne has its origins in the Persian language, deriving from the word "روشن" (Roshana), which means "bright" or "shining." It emerged during the late antiquity period, around the 3rd to 7th centuries AD, in the region that is now modern-day Iran.
The name gained popularity in Europe during the Middle Ages, particularly in France, where it was influenced by the French word "roux," meaning "red-haired." This association with red hair and brightness contributed to the name's enduring appeal.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Roxanne can be found in the 12th-century French epic poem "Roman de la Rose," where it is used as the name of a character. This literary work played a significant role in popularizing the name across Europe.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Roxanne. One of the earliest examples is Roxanne of Persia (300 BC – 311 BC), a Bactrian princess and the wife of Alexander the Great. Her marriage to Alexander helped solidify his control over the Persian territories.
Another prominent figure is Roxanne Félix (1786 – 1842), a French dancer and actress who achieved fame during the early 19th century. She was renowned for her performances in various operas and ballets and was celebrated for her grace and beauty.
In the world of literature, Roxanne Buchze (1883 – 1946) was a prolific Dutch writer and poet. She is best known for her contributions to the poetry movement known as the "Tachtigers," which sought to modernize Dutch literature.
The name Roxanne has also been associated with several influential musicians. Roxanne Shanté (born 1969) is an American rapper and hip-hop pioneer, widely regarded as one of the most influential female rappers of the 1980s. Her battle with fellow rapper Roxanne Shante (born 1964) is considered a pivotal moment in the history of hip-hop.
Roxanne Toudouze (born 1963) is a French singer-songwriter and actress who achieved significant success in the 1980s and 1990s with her unique blend of pop, rock, and folk music.
People
Roxanne + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Roxanne 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
Roxanne: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Roxanne?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 49,000 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Roxanne 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 6,995 US residents.
Is Roxanne a common name?
We classify Roxanne as "Uncommon". It ranks above 99.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 59,414 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Roxanne most popular?
The single biggest year for Roxanne was 1954, when 2,232 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Roxanne is about 52 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Roxanne a female name?
Yes, 99.9% of people registered as Roxanne 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.