Meaning: Its source is Rodan ig, an Ancient Germanic name meaning "Roda's island."

Languages: This boy's name is used in English.

Nicknames: Rod and Roddy

Alternative Spellings: Rodnie

Popularity: The name Rodney ranked 358th in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics and 111th in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

This name first made its appearance on state popularity lists before 1993, but is becoming less commonly used. In some cases, it has fallen off the lists altogether.

Narrative: Many names emerged before the development of writing, or evolved from oral traditions, so when we investigate the origins of names, written records are of limited use.

Modern scholars rely on a host of techniques to overcome these difficulties, but researching names of truly obscure origin involves a blend of scholarship and educated guesswork. In cases such as this English place name, a theory on its origin and meaning has been developed, but it is not universally accepted.

We are interested in information you have on the source and meaning of this name. Select the link at the bottom of the page to send us an email describing your theory.