Given name & surname
Rollo
“from the renowned land”
Rollo is a variant of Roland. One German interpretation is “from the renowned land.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Rollo is a variant of Roland. One German interpretation is “from the renowned land.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Rollo is a variant of Roland. An origin associated with Roland is Germanic.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
Rollo is used as a form of Roul.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1881. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Rollo is a variant of Roland. The history of Roland gives this family its wider story. The Chanson de Roland tells of Charlemagne’s follower Roland and his death at Roncesvalles. His devoted friendship with Oliver forms part of that literary tradition; in Italian versions, Roland becomes Orlando.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Rollo through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 949
- 949 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1918
- 38 babies
- 2025
- 9
- #8,780 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +9%
- Steady
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 9 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 8,780 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 9.1% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 38 in 1918. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 311 as a first name in 2020; 1,917 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.
Rollo’s family of names
In English usage, Rollo has a diminutive in Rollins. Rollo has a related form in Roland. Rollo is a Latinized form of Roul.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 2
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Rollo
- Rollo MayAmerican psychologist (1909–1994)
- Rollo WeeksBritish actorborn 1987
- Rollo BeckAmerican explorer, ornithologist and bird collector (1870–1950)
- Rollo CarpenterBritish artificial intelligence researcherborn 1965
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Rollo, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Roley
“from the renowned land”
>99% boys
Orvil
“from the gold town”
>99% boys
Orvill
“from the gold town”
>99% boys
Orvell
“from the gold town”
>99% boys
Orlan
“from the renowned land”
>99% boys
Rollan
“from the renowned land”
>99% boys
Horton
“from the gray town”
>99% boys
Rolly
“from the renowned land”
>99% boys