Given name & surname
Roscoe
“from the forest of deer”
Roscoe is used as a given name and a surname. One German interpretation is “from the forest of deer.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One German interpretation is “from the forest of deer.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is German.
How it developed
It entered given-name use through an existing surname.
The story
Its naming history includes the use of a family name as a given name.
Roscoe through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 22,170
- 22,159 boys · 11 girls
- Most popular year
- 1920
- 604 babies
- 2025
- 63
- #2,248 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −2%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 63 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 2,248 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 3.6% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 604 in 1920. In 2025, Washington had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (5). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 5,963 as a first name in 2020; 4,732 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.
Roscoe’s family of names
Roscoe has a related form in Rosco. Roscoe has a related form in Rosko. Roscoe has a related form in Roskoe.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 7
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Roscoe
- Roscoe ArbuckleAmerican actor, director and comedian1887–1933
- Roscoe TannerUS tennis playerborn 1951
- Roscoe Lee BrowneAmerican actor and director (1922–2007)
- Roscoe LockwoodAmerican rower (1875–1960)
- Roscoe OrmanAmerican actorborn 1944
- Roscoe ConklingAmerican politician (1829–1888)
- Roscoe Karnsactor (1891-1970)
- Roscoe BartlettAmerican politician (born 1926)
- Roscoe H. HillenkoetterUnited States admiral (1897-1982)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Roscoe, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Sylvester
“man from the forest”
>99% boys
Richmond
“from the wealthy hill” · “a powerful protector”
>99% boys
Orrin
“from the river”
>99% boys
Clarence
“from the Clare river”
>99% boys
Mervin
“a friend of the sea”
>99% boys
Ervin
“friend of the sea”
>99% boys
Frazier
“of the forest men”
>99% boys
Irving
“a triend of the sea”
>99% boys