as a First Name
From an Old French personal name of Germanic (Frankish) origin, from hrōd ‘fame’ + land ‘land, territory’. This was adopted by the Normans and introduced by them to Britain. In Old French literature it is borne by a legendary Frankish hero, a vassal of Charlemagne, whose exploits are told in the Chanson de Roland. The subject of the poem is Roland's death at the Battle of Roncesvalles in the Pyrenees in 778, while protecting the rearguard of the Frankish army on its retreat from Spain. Roland is depicted in literature and legend as headstrong and impulsive. His devoted friendship with the prudent Oliver is also legendary.
| 590th in the U.S. for 2011 |
Nicknames & variations
Quick facts
- Tens of Thousands
- of people in the U.S have this name
- 69,141
- to be exact (as of February 2011)
- 88,247
- if you include dead people (since the government started keeping track)
- Maine
- has the most people named Roland per capita
- 1931
- marked the height of its popularity
0%
100%
56%
55+
55+
31%
30-54
30-54
7%
13-29
13-29
6%
0-12
0-12
Top state populations
U.S. Distribution Map
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