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Rodger

Boy name · 37 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Rodger: 37 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 9 births in 1977.

Rodger is an English variant of Roger, which comes from the Old Germanic name Hrodgar, combining *hrōd* (“fame”) and *gār* (“spear”)—so it means “famous spearman.” The name crossed to Britain with the Normans and became a medieval favourite. Notable bearers include Rodger Bumpass, the American voice actor who has played Squidward Tentacles in SpongeBob SquarePants for over two decades, and Rodger Ward, a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner. While there are no direct place names from “Rodger” alone, the root “Roger” appears in many settlements, such as Rogerstone in Wales. An interesting note: Rodger is the less common spelling of Roger, often used to distinguish a personal or family preference, and in Scottish usage it has never been as frequent as the standard form.