Roger
Meaning: Its source is Hrothgar, an Ancient Germanic name meaning "Famous spear."
Though not linguistically related, Roger has been historically used as an English version of the Gaelic name Ruaidri.
Languages: This boy's name is used in German, English and French.
Nicknames: Rogie
Source Forms: Hrothgar
Popularity: The name Roger ranked 382nd in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics and 50th in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.
This name makes a strong showing in state popularity data of the 1960s, but makes few (if any) appearances on lists compiled after that period.
Narrative: When the Norman French defeated the Anglo-Saxon army at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, the victory they won for their Duke William was also a victory for French names. In some cases, old Anglo-Saxon names were forced to yield their place to upstart French names that were their own descendants.
Such was the case with Hrothgar, Germanic ancestor of the French name Roger. As Hrothgar faded into history, Roger was propelled into the future, spawning such nicknames as Hodge and Dodge (which survive in the surnames Hodges and Dodgson), and eventually joining the jet age as the universal acknowledgment of a radio message -- ''Roger!''
Arts and Music
- Roger Bowling
- Winner of the 1977 Country Music Association Song of the Year award, for ''''Lucille'''' (see list of Country Music Association Award Winners)
- Roger Fenton (born 1819, died 1868)
English photographer.
- Documented the Crimean War (see list of Miscellaneous Photographers)
- Roger Miller (born 1936, died 1992)
American singer and songwriter.
- Country Music Hall of Fame (see list of Country Music Hall of Fame)
- Roger Reynolds
- 1989 Pulitzer Prize winner for Music Composition (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Music)
- Roger Sessions
- 1982 Pulitzer Prize winner for Music Composition (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Music)
Leadership
- Roger C. Bech
- CEO of Fortune 500 company UNOCAL (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- Roger H. Eigsti
- CEO of Fortune 500 company SAFECO (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- Roger Enrico
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Pepsico (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- Roger N. Farah
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Woolworth (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- Roger R. Hemminghaus
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Diamond Shamrock (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- Roger J. Miner
American judge.
- Circuit Judge, Second Circuit Court (see list of Judges of the U.S. Courts of Appeals)
- Roger Sherman
- Signer, Declaration of Independence, Connecticut (see list of Signers of the Declaration of Independence)
- Roger W. Stone
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Stone Container (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- Roger B. Taney (born 1777, died 1864)
American jurist.
- Chief Justice of the United States, 1836-64 (see list of U.S. Supreme Court Justices)
- Roger Williams (died 1683)
English-American clergyman who founded Rhode Island.
- A leading advocate of religious freedom (see list of Religious Leaders)
- Roger L. Wollman
- Circuit Judge, Eighth Circuit Court (see list of Judges of the U.S. Courts of Appeals)
Miscellaneous
- Roger Tory Peterson (born 1908, died 1996)
American ornithologist and artist who wrote Field Guide to the Birds.
- 1980 recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom (see list of Presidential Medal of Freedom Winners)
- Roger L. Stevens (born 1910)
American Broadway producer.
- 1988 recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom (see list of Presidential Medal of Freedom Winners)
- Roger Vergé
French chef and restauranteur.
- Considered by many the Grand Master of Haute Cuisine (see list of Chefs)
Science and Philosophy
- Roger Adams (born 1889, died 1971)
American chemist.
- 1964 National Medal of Science winner (see list of National Medal of Science Winners)
- Roger Bacon (died 1292)
English philosopher and scientist.
- An early proponent of scientific experimentation (see list of Miscellaneous Physical Scientists)
- Roger B. Chaffee
American astronaut.
- Apollo One astronaut killed January 27, 1967 (see list of Names on the Space Mirror Memorial)
- Roger K. Crouch (born 1940)
American astronaut.
- Astronaut on Columbia (1997) (see list of Spaceflight Veterans)
- Roger C.L. Guillemin
American physician known for his work on peptide hormone production in the brain.
- 1976 National Medal of Science winner (see list of National Medal of Science Winners)
- 1977 Nobel Prize winner in Physiology/Medicine, with Rosalyn Yalow and Andrew Schally (see list of Winners of the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine)
- Roger ''R.D.'' Revelle
- 1990 National Medal of Science winner (see list of National Medal of Science Winners)
- Roger N. Shepard
- 1995 National Medal of Science winner (see list of National Medal of Science Winners)
- Roger W. Sperry (born 1913, died 1994)
American neurobiologist who discovered specialization in the left and right hemispheres of the brain.
- 1981 Nobel Prize winner in Physiology/Medicine, with David Hubel and Torsten Wiesel (see list of Winners of the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine)
Sports
- Roger Bannister
English track star who was the first person to run a mile in under four minutes. He later became a respected neurologist.
- 1954 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year (see list of Sports Illustrated Sportsmen of the Year)
- Roger Bresnahan (born 1879)
- Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999 (see list of Members of the Baseball Hall of Fame)
- Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945 (see list of Members of the Baseball Hall of Fame)
- Roger Clemens
Baseball player.
- 1986 American League Most Valuable Player (see list of American League Most Valuable Players)
- 1986-87, 1991 American League Cy Young Award winner (see list of American League winners of the Cy Young Award)
- Roger Connor
Baseball player.
- 1885 National League Batting Champion (see list of National League Batting Champions)
- Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976 (see list of Members of the Baseball Hall of Fame)
- Roger Crozier
Hockey player.
- 1965 Calder Memorial Trophy winner (see list of Calder Memorial Trophy Winners)
- Roger DeCoster
Motorcycle driver.
- Member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame for Motorcycles (see list of Members of the Motorsports Hall of Fame)
- Roger François
French athlete.
- 1928 Olympic weightlifting gold medal winner for 75kg (see list of Olympic gold medalists in weightlifting)
- Roger Kingdom
American athlete.
- 1984 and 1988 Olympic track and field gold medal winner for 110m Hurdles (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in Hurdles)
- Roger Lapebie
- 1937 Tour de France champion (see list of Tour de France Winners)
- Roger Maris
Baseball player.
- 1960-61 American League Most Valuable Player (see list of American League Most Valuable Players)
- 1961 Associated Press Athlete of the Year (see list of Associated Press Athletes of the Year)
- Roger Peckinpaugh
Baseball player.
- 1925 American League Most Valuable Player (see list of American League Most Valuable Players)
- Roger Pingeon
- 1967 Tour de France champion (see list of Tour de France Winners)
- Roger Staub
Swiss athlete.
- 1960 Olympic alpine skiing gold medal winner for Giant Slalom (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in Downhill Skiing)
- Roger Staubach
American football player.
- 1971 National Football Conference Player of the Year (see list of NFL Players of the Year)
- Elected to the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1985 (see list of Professional Football Hall of Fame)
- 1963 Heisman Memorial Trophy winner (see list of Heisman Trophy Winners)
- Roger Tessman
- Member of the American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame (see list of American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame)
- Roger Walkowiak
- 1956 Tour de France champion (see list of Tour de France Winners)
- Roger Zeller
- Member of the Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Fame (see list of Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Fame)
Stage and Screen
- Roger William Corman (born 1926)
American producer known for ''B'' movies such as The Bees (1980).
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Roger Ewing
- Portrayed Clayton Thadeus Greenwood from 1965-67 (see list of Actors on ''Gunsmoke'')
- Major Roger Healey
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Bill Daily (see list of Characters on ''I Dream of Jeannie'')
- Roger Howarth
- Actor on soap opera ''''One Life to Live'''' (see list of Performers on ''One Life to Live'')
- Roger Klotz
Fictional character.
- From ''''Doug'''' (see list of Cartoon characters)
- Roger Moore (born 1927)
English actor.
- Starred in seven James Bond movies, from 1973''s Live and Let Die to 1985''s A View to a Kill (see list of Actors who Have Portrayed James Bond)
- Roger Phillips
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Ted McGinley (see list of Characters on ''Happy Days'')
- Roger Rees (born 1944)
Welsh actor.
- 1982 Tony Award winner for his performance in Nicholas Nickleby (see list of Tony winners for Best Actor in a Play)
- Portrayed Robin Colcord from 1989-91 (see list of Actors on ''Cheers'')
- Roger
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by David Warrilow (see list of Characters in the film Radio Days)
- Roger Smith
Actor.
- Portrayed Doyle Hobbs (see list of Actors on ''Father Knows Best'')
- Roger L. Stevens (born 1910)
Founder of the National Council on the Arts and the Kennedy Center
- 1988 Kennedy Center Honors recipient (see list of Kennedy Center Honors Recipients)
- Roger Thornhill
Fictional character.
- Played by Cary Grant (see list of Character from Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest)
- Roger Thorpe
Fictional character.
- Character on soap opera Guiding Light (see list of Characters on ''Guiding Light'')
- Roger Wagner
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording (see list of Recording Personalites with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Roger Williams (born 1926)
American pianist, best known for the song ''Born Free.''
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording (see list of Recording Personalites with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
The Literary World
- Roger Breakstone
Fictional character.
- Vic''s partner in Ad Worx in Stephen King''s novel Cujo (see list of Characters in Cujo)
- Roger Chillingworth
Fictional character
- The vengeful, jilted husband in Nathaniel Hawthorne''s novel, The Scarlet Letter (see list of Characters from the Classics)
- Roger Ebert
- 1975 Pulitzer Prize winner for Criticism (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism)
- Roger Martin du Gard (born 1881, died 1958)
French novelist.
- 1937 Nobel Prize winner for Literature (see list of Winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature)
- Roger B. Linscott
- 1973 Pulitzer Prize winner for Editorial Writing (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing)
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| Rakesh | |
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| Roser | |
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| Rochus | |
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| Rikar | |
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| Riker | |
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| Ryan | |
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| Rogerio | |
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| Ruggiero | |
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| Ruggero | |
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| Rogier | |
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Teasing Nicknames:
- Roger Ramjet
- Roger, over and out
- Roger Dodger
Associations:
In radiotelephony, ''Roger'' formerly stood for the letter R and also signifies that a message has been received and understood.
