boy's name
Rocky
ROK-ee (English)
- Origin American, Italian
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 31,008
the United States
#568
2025 births
Rocky is a boy's name that began as a nickname for Rocco and similar names, or for a tough person. Sylvester Stallone's Rocky Balboa made it world famous from 1976, and boxer Rocky Marciano was its earlier champion.
- Rocky is a name of American, Italian origin.
- Peaked in 1957, when 920 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1950s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
- Today about 1 in 5,889 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1913.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Rocky Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1910s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 60 |
| 1920s | 158 |
| 1930s | 203 |
| 1940s | 1,064 |
| 1950s | 7,043 |
| 1960s | 4,622 |
| 1970s | 3,712 |
| 1980s | 4,390 |
| 1990s | 1,756 |
| 2000s | 1,767 |
| 2010s | 2,160 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 2,199 |
What Rocky Means
Rocky suggests toughness, from the English word rock, and it takes on the meaning of Rocco when it's a short form. Parents also think of the Rocky Mountains and of a fighting underdog.
Where Rocky Comes From
Italian Rocco has a Germanic root, hrok, meaning rest or crow, and Saint Roch was a fourteenth-century healer. Italian Americans shortened Rocco to Rocky, as boxer Rocco Marchegiano did when he became Rocky Marciano. Behind the Name adds that it served as a nickname for a tough person, a sense that comes from the English word. The film Rocky, written by and starring Stallone, turned the name into a shorthand for an underdog. Rocky Balboa's own full name is Robert, which shows that the name works as a nickname with many possible sources.
Rocky in Use
Zendaya's Disney character Rocky Blue, short for Raquel, showed it working for girls. Rocky the Flying Squirrel and rapper A$AP Rocky add to its range.
How Popular Is Rocky?
In 2025, Rocky was given to 563 babies in the United States, ranking #568 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Where Rocky Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Rocky
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Rocky Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Rocky over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Rocky
- English ROK-ee
Rocky in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
- Italian
- Rocco
Sibling Names for Rocky
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Rocky — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Rocky
What does the name Rocky mean?
It's a nickname for Rocco or a tough person.
Is Rocky a real name?
Yes. It's also used as a full name.
What is Rocky short for?
Most often Rocco.
How popular is the name Rocky?
In 2025, Rocky was given to 563 babies in the United States, ranking #568 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Is Rocky a girl's or a boy's name?
Rocky is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Rocky?
Rocky has 2 syllables.
When was Rocky most popular?
Rocky peaked in 1957, when 920 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1950s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
Is Rocky a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Rocky currently ranks #522 in the United States. After peaking in the 1950s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.