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Rhodes

♂ Boy

Pronounced ROHDZ /roʊdz/High

Meaning: Where roses grow; an English surname derived from the Greek Rhodos, name of the island meaning 'rose'High

In 30 seconds: A distinguished English surname derived from the Greek island of Rhodes meaning 'roses,' Rhodes is a rising modern given name with a grounded, adventurous, one-syllable swagger.
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Origin HighGreek, English
MeaningWhere roses grow; an English surname derived from the Greek Rhodos, name of the island meaning 'rose'
U.S. rank (2025)#575 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births511 boys (0.03% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2025
Total births (all-time)≈ 2,741

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202519152025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Rhodes is an English surname derived from the Greek island of Rhodos, whose name means 'rose' in Greek. The island was famous in antiquity for its roses and its Colossus. As a surname in England, Rhodes referred to families with a topographic connection to a road or clearing (from Old English rod), though its Greek island connection also plays a role.

Cecil Rhodes, the 19th-century British imperialist who founded Rhodesia (modern Zimbabwe and Zambia) and the Rhodes Scholarship, made this surname widely recognizable globally. As a given name, Rhodes is a recent emergence, fitting the trend for strong, one-syllable surname-style names that project confidence and distinction.

Did you know? The ancient Colossus of Rhodes — a giant bronze statue of the sun god Helios — was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, standing at the harbor of Rhodes for about 54 years before being toppled by an earthquake in 226 BCE.
Overall data confidence 88%
Behind the Name — Rhodes — etymology and usageU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

RhodaRoderick

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Cecil Rhodes (1853–1902)
    British businessman and politician who founded the Rhodes Scholarship and the territory of Rhodesia.

If you like Rhodes…

Brooks— shares the same one-syllable British surname-name feel with a nature reference
Banks— fellow short English place-name surname adopted as a contemporary given name
Hayes— shares the same crisp monosyllabic English surname-name energy
Reads— another short surname-style name with the same confident modern character

Frequently Asked

What does the name Rhodes mean?

Rhodes derives from the Greek island Rhodos, meaning 'rose' or 'where roses grow.'

How do you pronounce Rhodes?

Rhodes is said ROHDZ — one syllable, rhyming with 'roads.'

Is Rhodes a given name or a surname?

Rhodes is traditionally a surname but is increasingly used as a given name for boys in the United States.

Is Rhodes a popular given name?

Rhodes is an emerging boys' given name, growing in popularity since the 2010s as one-syllable surname-names have risen in fashion.