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Rhodes

Boy name · 5 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Rhodes: 5 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 5 births in 2024.

Starting life as a surname, Rhodes has two principal roots. It can trace back to the Greek island of Rhodes, whose name derives from *rhodon*, meaning ‘rose’, or to an Old English word for a woodland clearing. The most famous bearer is Cecil Rhodes, the Victorian imperialist whose name was given to Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe and Zambia). The name also conjures the sun-drenched Greek island, rich in ancient history and home to the Colossus of Rhodes. Today, Rhodes feels crisp and sophisticated, often chosen as a distinctive first name or a strong middle name. Its double-edged heritage—both a Grecian rose and a piece of Southern African colonial history—gives it a complex, worldly air.