Fun Facts About the Name Rooster
- 33 babies named Rooster: U.S. records list 33 babies given the name Rooster from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Rooster Mean?
Rooster is an English word name meaning "male chicken." Its literal sense is "one that roosts," an agent noun built from the verb roost - to settle on a perch for rest - plus the suffix -er. The verb and noun roost go back to Old English hrōst, a perch, rafter, or beam on which birds settle. The meaning "male of the domestic fowl" is the dominant modern sense in North American English; in British English the older word cock is still the usual term, and rooster is chiefly a North American usage.
Rooster Name History & Origins
Old English hrōst named a bird's perch or a roof beam, and from it came the verb roost. Adding the agent ending -er produced rooster, literally "one that roosts." Applying that word to the male chicken is an American development of the late 1700s, when rooster was adopted in place of cock, whose sexual double meaning speakers wanted to avoid. The word therefore spread as a North American term rather than as an inheritance from Old English.
As a personal name, Rooster is uncommon and is used mostly as a nickname or word name rather than a traditional given name with a long lineage of its own. A well-known fictional bearer is Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn in Charles Portis's novel True Grit (1968), later portrayed in film by John Wayne and by Jeff Bridges; the name is also remembered as the nickname of Jerry Cantrell's father, the subject of the Alice in Chains song "Rooster" (1992). These are examples of the name in use, not evidence that the name was created by those works.
How Popular is the Name Rooster?
Rooster has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2022. Its best rank was #9,662 in 2022.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #13,503 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2024 | #13,798 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2023 | #13,767 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2022 | #9,662 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2021 | #13,697 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2019 | #13,739 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Rooster Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are a law unto itself. Your tendency is to finish whatever you start. You are tolerant and like to help humanity. You are very active. You are generally warmhearted and gives freely of your time, energy, and sympathetic understanding. You have tolerance and acceptance of the frailties of others. Universal and humanitarian in outlook. This is very compassionate name. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.
You are always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.
✦ Rooster's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Rooster's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.