Roger is an eminent traditional baby name for boys. As a prominent remnant of the Norman Empire, this name went on to become a fixture in 20th-century culture. Roger Wakefield MacKenzie is the name of a main character in the Outlander series, and Roger “RJ” Murtaugh Jr. was a character in the Lethal Weapon franchise. Keep reading to learn more about this name.
Meaning of the name Roger:
Old Germanic: Famous spear
Origin of the name Roger:
Roger is the English version of the Old French name Rogier. This name entered Frankish culture via the Old Germanic elements hrōd (meaning “fame”) and gār or gēr (meaning “spear”). Norman French rulers adopted the name and brought it to England during the Norman Conquest of 1066. The French spelling quickly replaced the Old-English cognate Hrōðgār, and the name remained popular for centuries thereafter.
Symbolism of the name Roger:
Roger is the Middle English version of a Germanic name that meant “famous spear.” It is the modern replacement of the Old English name Hrōðgār, and the Anglo-Saxon version had the same root etymology. The most famous bearer of the name Hrōðgār was the legendary Danish king in the tale of Beowulf. According to the tale, Hrōðgār richly rewarded Beowulf for defeating the monster named Grendel. Symbols of Hrōðgār included rings, rubies, and buried treasure that he generously gave to Beowulf and his warriors.
Style of the name Roger:
Traditional
Gender of the name Roger:
Roger is a boy's name.
Pronunciation of the name Roger:
RAHJ-ər
Number of syllables in the name Roger:
Two
Emotion evoked from the name Roger:
The name Roger evokes feelings of rightness and reward.
Alternative spellings for the name Roger:
- Rodger
- Rojer
- Rogier
- Rutger
Nicknames for the name Roger:
- Rog
- Rogie
- Rogue
- Rodge
Popularity of the name Roger:
According to the Social Security Administration index, Roger was the 679th most popular baby name for boys in 2020.
Related names for the name Roger:
Great middle names for Roger and their meanings:
- Antoine (priceless, highly praiseworthy)
- Bram (father of multitudes)
- Channing (young wolf, church officiant, wise counsel)
- Cristiano (follower of Christ)
- Emmanuel (God is with us)
- Gunnar (fighter, soldier, warrior)
- Harlan (hare land, rocky region, boundary wood)
- Issac (he who laughs, he who rejoices)
- Liam (helmeted protector, strong-willed warrior)
- Neville (new town)
- Niko (victory of the people)
- Thaddeus (brave heart, valiant, gift of God)
- Zachary (God has remembered)
- Ziggy (victorious)
Famous people with the name Roger:
- Roger Eugene Ailes (media executive)
- Roger William Allam (actor)
- Roger Keith Barrett (singer)
- Roger David Casement (politician)
- Roger Caesar Marius Bernard de Delgado (actor)
- Roger Joseph Ebert (film critic)
- Roger Dean Miller (singer)
- Roger Tory Peterson (ornithologist)
- Roger Meadows Taylor (drummer)
- Roger Henry Brough Whittaker (singer)
Roger in popular culture:
- Roger Evans (character in the Sister, Sister series)
- Roger Wakefield MacKenzie (character in the Outlander series)
- Roger “RJ” Murtaugh Jr. (character in the Lethal Weapon franchise)
- Roger Rabbit (animated anthropomorphic rabbit creation of writer Gary Wolf)
- Roger Sterling (character in the Mad Men series)