Roland
/ˈɹoʊ.lənd/
Roland is a Germanic name from the Old High German Hrodland, combining hrod (“fame, renown”) and land (“land, territory”)—“famous land.”
The hero Roland was the nephew of Charlemagne and the subject of La Chanson de Roland (The Song of Roland), the oldest surviving French epic poem, written c. 1040-1115. His death at the Battle of Roncesvalles made him a symbol of chivalric sacrifice.
Roland peaked at No. 98 in 1924 with 1,822 births. In 2024 it ranks No. 663 with 413 births, well below its Jazz Age high.
What the name Roland means
Musician Roland Gift (Fine Young Cannibals), synthesizer brand Roland, and Stephen King’s gunslinger Roland Deschain (The Dark Tower) keep the name culturally present.
Two syllables—ROH-lund—sound dignified without being stiff. The resonant l interior gives it warmth, and the open close makes it approachable.
Parents choosing Roland today embrace its medieval epic heritage. Few names carry the weight of an 11th-century masterpiece of French literature.
Variant forms include Rowland (English), Orlando (Italian/Spanish), and Rolan (Eastern European). Roland is the original Germanic and French form.
US popularity over time
Numerology and symbolism
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Famous people named Roland
Roland - similar names
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