Rod
A nickname for the male given names Rodney and Roderick.
Every Rod since 1910 — 8,744 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Rod
Rod is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1910, 8,744 American babies have been named Rod. Its peak came in 1960, when 496 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Rod stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Rod year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | 7 | #10,583 |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | 7 | #10,568 |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — |
| 2016 | 11 | #7,506 |
| 2015 | 6 | #11,808 |
| 2014 | 5 | #13,653 |
| 2013 | 9 | #8,628 |
| 2012 | 8 | #9,526 |
| 2011 | 7 | #10,546 |
| 2010 | 6 | #11,893 |
| 2009 | 5 | #14,073 |
| 2008 | 7 | #10,786 |
| 2007 | 13 | #6,538 |
| 2006 | 12 | #6,824 |
| 2005 | 10 | #7,542 |
| 2004 | 8 | #8,756 |
| 2003 | 16 | #4,992 |
| 2002 | 11 | #6,434 |
| 2001 | 13 | #5,610 |
| 2000 | 18 | #4,346 |
| 1995 | 26 | #2,833 |
| 1990 | 36 | #2,077 |
| 1985 | 28 | #2,057 |
| 1980 | 40 | #1,540 |
| 1975 | 78 | #931 |
| 1970 | 193 | #581 |
| 1965 | 494 | #344 |
| 1960 | 496 | #350 |
| 1955 | 156 | #588 |
| 1950 | 82 | #759 |
| 1945 | 95 | #623 |
| 1940 | 34 | #1,153 |
| 1935 | 28 | #1,291 |
| 1930 | 17 | #1,880 |
| 1925 | 8 | #3,347 |
| 1920 | 8 | #3,437 |
| 1915 | 6 | #3,753 |
| 1910 | 6 | #1,555 |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Rod
- Rod Stewart Singer · b. 1945
- Rod Steiger Actor · 1925–2002
- Rod Laver Tennis player · b. 1938
- Rod Taylor Actor · 1930–2015
- Rod Evans Singer · b. 1947
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Rod mean?
A nickname for the male given names Rodney and Roderick.
How popular is the name Rod in 2025?
Rod did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Rod?
8,744 babies have been named Rod in the United States since 1910, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Rod most popular?
Rod peaked in 1960, when 496 newborns received the name.
Is Rod a boy or girl name?
Rod is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Rod rising or falling?
Rod is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Rod?
Well-known people named Rod include Rod Stewart (singer), Rod Steiger (actor), Rod Laver (tennis player).