Rocky Lemon

(male) Mainly U.S.: of recent origin, originally a nickname for a tough individual. The name came to public notice through the American heavyweight boxing champion Rocky Marciano (1923–69). He was of Italian extraction, and Anglicized his original name, Rocco, into a form that seems particularly appropriate for a fighter. It was later taken up in a series of films as the name of a boxer played by the muscular actor Sylvester Stallone, and it has also been adopted as a nickname among devotees of body building.

1. English: from the Middle English personal name Lefman, Old English Lēofman, composed of the elements lēof ‘dear’, ‘beloved’ + mann ‘man’, ‘person’. This came to be used as a nickname for a lover or sweetheart, from Middle English lem(m)an. There is no connection with the word denoting the citrus fruit (which is of Persian origin).