Roland
Boy name · #607 in 2025 · Rare
Roland ranks #607 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 466 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #588, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 3,863 boys born in 2025 was named Roland.
Babies named Roland per year. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Roland first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 36 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1924, when 1,822 boys were named Roland — good for #98 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Roland against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Roland in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Roland is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Roland will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Roland is most common
Geography matters for names, and Roland is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Roland is most common in WI (0.6 per 1,000), UT (0.6 per 1,000), AL (0.5 per 1,000), MN (0.4 per 1,000), MI (0.4 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.3 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Roland is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Roland
Statistically, parents drawn to Roland tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Raymond, Edmund, Leonard, Harland, and Alfred.
RaymondEdmundLeonardHarlandAlfredReubenEdmondAlbert
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Roland | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 466 | #607 |
| 2024 | 413 | #663 |
| 2023 | 414 | #662 |
| 2022 | 461 | #608 |
| 2021 | 405 | #668 |
| 2020 | 490 | #570 |
| 2019 | 538 | #532 |
| 2018 | 514 | #545 |
| 2017 | 534 | #530 |
| 2016 | 510 | #562 |
| 2015 | 471 | #588 |
| 2014 | 438 | #610 |
| 2013 | 360 | #669 |
| 2012 | 313 | #740 |
| 2011 | 302 | #751 |
| 2010 | 290 | #769 |
| 2009 | 304 | #752 |
| 2008 | 296 | #754 |
| 2007 | 301 | #743 |
| 2006 | 265 | #782 |
| 2005 | 277 | #729 |
| 2004 | 236 | #767 |
| 2003 | 249 | #730 |
| 2002 | 238 | #735 |
| 2001 | 242 | #723 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Roland a popular boy name?
Roland ranked #607 among boys in 2025 with 466 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #588.
When was the name Roland most popular?
Roland peaked in 1924, when 1,822 American boys received the name (ranked #98 that year). Since 1924 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Roland?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 3,863 newborn American boys was named Roland. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.