girl's name
Rolande
ro-LAHND
- Origin French
- Gender Girl
- Letters 7
- Births on record 40,372
Rolande means famous land, and the man behind it died in a skirmish that became an epic — Roland fell at Roncevaux against Basques, and the Song of Roland turned them into a Saracen army.
- Rolande is a name of French origin.
- Peaked in France in 1930, when 1,420 babies were given the name.
- It has largely dropped out of use in France.
- First appears in birth records in 1900.
Rolande over time
Births per decade in France, 1900s to 2000s.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 2,155 |
| 1910s | 4,580 |
| 1920s | 11,130 |
| 1930s | 10,885 |
| 1940s | 6,365 |
| 1950s | 3,545 |
| 1960s | 900 |
| 1970s | 235 |
| 1980s | 60 |
| 1990s | 35 |
| 2000s | 15 |
What Rolande means
Rolande means famous land, or renowned throughout the land. The Germanic joins a word for fame to one for territory, so it describes reputation across a place.
Where Rolande comes from
Rolande is the French feminine of Roland, from the Germanic hrod, fame or glory, joined to land. The historical Roland was a Frankish commander killed at Roncevaux in 778 when Basques ambushed Charlemagne's rearguard; the Song of Roland, written three centuries later, recast the attackers as a Saracen army and made him the model of chivalric loyalty. Orlando, elsewhere on this site, is the same name with its consonants swapped.
Rolande in use
Rolande peaked in France in 1930, when 1,420 babies were registered, and our data marks it faded. It charts in none of the six markets we track in the most recent year, despite 40,372 lifetime births. The American series never exceeded 25 births in a year, so its whole history is French.
How popular is Rolande?
In 2009, Rolande was given to 5 babies in France. It was given to fewer than five babies in the most recent year of published US data.
Where Rolande is used
French counts are rounded to the nearest five and nothing below five is published, so these figures show the shape of the name's use rather than an exact tally. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Rolande
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Rolande also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Rolande over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Rolande 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.
Sibling names for Rolande
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Rolande — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Rolande
What does the name Rolande mean?
Famous land — the Germanic hrod, fame, joined to land.
Who was Roland?
A Frankish commander killed at Roncevaux in 778, ambushed by Basques.
Why does the poem say Saracens?
The Song of Roland was written three centuries later and recast the attackers.
Is Orlando related?
Yes — the same name with its consonants swapped in Italian.
How popular is the name Rolande?
In 2009, Rolande was given to 5 babies in France. It was given to fewer than five babies in the most recent year of published US data.
Is Rolande a girl's or a boy's name?
Rolande is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
When was Rolande most popular?
Rolande peaked in 1930, when 1,420 babies were given the name. It has largely dropped out of use.