Holding steady.
Popularity of Rodel since 1970
Babies named Rodel per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 34 |
| 1980s | 33 |
| 1990s | 25 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 10 |
| 2020s | 6 |
Meaning & origin
Rodel is a rare American invention, first recorded in 1970. It reached its peak popularity in 1982, but even then it remained outside the top 1000, making it a genuinely unusual choice. The name has maintained a stable but very low level of use since the 1980s, with no significant uptick in recent decades. Its top states of use are few and scattered, reflecting its rarity nationwide. Parents choosing Rodel today are selecting a name that stands apart from common trends, with a sound that is both familiar and distinct.
Rodel is a modern coinage, likely arising in the mid-20th century in the United States. It may be a diminutive or variant of names such as Roderick (from Germanic 'hrod' meaning 'fame' and 'ric' meaning 'ruler') or Randall (from Old English 'rand' meaning 'shield' and 'wulf' meaning 'wolf'), but there is no direct derivation. The name gained modest use in the 1970s and 1980s, fitting a trend of short, two-syllable names ending in '-el'.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Rod, Dell
Sibling names for Rodel
Names that share Rodel's style, for a brother or sister.
