Given name & surname
Rocky
“one who is calm; restful”·“one who is bright with fame”
Rocky is a variant of Rocco. One Italian interpretation is “one who is calm; restful.” In English use, Rocky is a diminutive of Robert. One German interpretation is “one who is bright with fame.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Rocky is a variant of Rocco. One Italian interpretation is “one who is calm; restful.” In English use, Rocky is a diminutive of Robert. One German interpretation is “one who is bright with fame.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Italian.
How it developed
In English usage, Rocky is a diminutive of Robert. In English usage, Rocky is a diminutive of Ricky.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1913. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Rocky is a variant of Rocco. The history of Rocco gives this family its wider story. Rocco’s historical associations include a 14th-century saint, a Frenchman from Montpelier. In English use, Rocky is a diminutive of Robert. The history of Robert gives this family its wider story. Robert’s historical associations include three kings of Scotland, notably Robert the Bruce.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Rocky through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 29,134
- 28,687 boys · 447 girls
- Most popular year
- 1957
- 920 babies
- 2025
- 563
- #568 for boys · #3,564 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +51%
- Rising fast
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 93% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 520 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 568 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 44.4% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 909 in 1957. It also appeared in 43 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (58). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 21,181 as a first name in 2020; 191 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Rocky’s family of names
In English usage, Rocky is a diminutive of Robert. Rocky has a related form in Rocco. In English usage, Rocky is a diminutive of Ricky.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 6
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
People named Rocky
- Rocky MarcianoAmerican heavyweight boxing champion (1923-1969)
- Rocky CarrollAmerican actorborn 1963
- Rocky GrazianoAmerican boxer (1919–1990)
- Michael ChopraEnglish association football player (born 1983)
- Rocky JohnsonCanadian professional wrestler (1944-2020)
- Rocky De La FuenteAmerican businessman and perennial candidate (born 1954)
- Rick "Rocky" LockridgeAmerican boxer (1959–2019)
- Rocky AndersonAmerican politicianborn 1951
- Rocky LynchAmerican musicianborn 1994
Characters named Rocky: Rocky Balboa (the Rocky film series), Rocky DeSantos (in the television series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and Power Rangers: Zeo).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Rocky, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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