Given name & surname · also Irish
Rohan
“a red-haired man”·“one who ascends”
Rohan is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “a red-haired man” and “one who ascends”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “a red-haired man” and “one who ascends”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Sanskrit.
How it developed
The name draws on Sanskrit rohana, meaning “ascending”.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1969. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English use, Rohan has a related form in Rowan. The history of Rowan gives this family its wider story. Rowan’s naming history includes the use of a family name as a given name.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Rohan through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 12,151
- 12,102 boys · 49 girls
- Most popular year
- 2004
- 522 babies
- 2025
- 306
- #812 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −10%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 306 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 812 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 8.6% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 522 in 2004. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (51). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 14,448 as a first name in 2020; 3,035 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.
Rohan’s family of names
In English usage, Rohan shares an earlier linguistic root with Rowan. Rohan has a related form in Royan. Rohan has a related form in Royann.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Rohan has relatives in 3 languages. Lines run from its Sanskrit roots to each of them.
5 related names in 3 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 8
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Rohan
- Rohan BopannaIndian tennis player (born 1980)
- Rohan DennisAustralian racing cyclistborn 1990
- Rohan MarleySon of Bob Marleyborn 1972
- Rohan ChandAmerican actorborn 2004
- Rohan RickettsEnglish association footballer (born 1982)
- Rohan CampbellCanadian actorborn 1997
- Rohan WightAustralian cyclistborn 1997
- Rohan InceMontserratian footballerborn 1992
- Rohan MehraIndian model and television actorborn 1987
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Rohan, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Keegan
“small and fiery woman” · “a small and fiery man”
90% boys · 10% girls
Aryan
“noble; noble one”
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Cowan
“from the hollow near the hill; one of twins”
>99% boys
Cian
“from an ancient family”
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Rishab
“one who is musically talented”
>99% boys
Rahul
Rahul is a masculine given name from Sanskrit.
>99% boys
Caden
“a battlemaiden” · “spirt of battle •”
99% boys · 1% girls
Kaelan
“a mighty warrior”
85% boys · 15% girls