Rhona

♀ Girl

Pronounced ROH-nuh /ˈroʊ.nə/High

Meaning: Rhona is a Scottish feminine name, most often linked to the Hebridean island of Rona (from Old Norse elements meaning 'rough island' or 'seal island') and sometimes read as a feminine of Ronald, from Norse Rognvaldr, 'ruler's counsel'. It reads as a soft Scottish name.Medium

In 30 seconds: Rhona is a Scottish girls' name, tied to the isle of Rona or to Ronald. Quietly used through the century, it crested in 1951.

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Origin MediumScottish, Norse

MeaningRhona is a Scottish feminine name, most often linked to the Hebridean island of Rona (from Old Norse elements meaning 'rough island' or 'seal island') and sometimes read as a feminine of Ronald, from Norse Rognvaldr, 'ruler's counsel'. It reads as a soft Scottish name.

U.S. rank (2020)#14754 ↘ Falling

2020 U.S. births6 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1951

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,687

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Rhona is a Scottish feminine name whose likeliest source is the island of Rona in the Hebrides, its name from Old Norse; it is also read as a feminine of Ronald, from Norse Rognvaldr, 'ruler's counsel'. Long used in Scotland, it appears in United States records from the nineteen-teens, often in families of Scots heritage.

It reached its high point in 1951 and stayed in quiet use for decades, with records into the twenty-twenties. Rhona reads as a gentle Scottish heritage name rather than a dated fad; its exact route is best given honestly as the Rona / Ronald pair.

Did you know? Rhona carries a whiff of the Scottish islands: it is most often connected with Rona, a small Hebridean isle whose Norse name may mean 'rough' or 'seal island'.

Overall data confidence 60%

References — Rhona — Scottish name, isle of Rona / feminine of Ronald; SSA peak 1951

Variations

RonaRhondaRhonwen

Nicknames

Famous Bearers

★Rhona Mitra (1976–present)
English actress and former model known for film and television roles including Doomsday and Underworld: Rise of the Lycans.

If you like Rhona…

Rona— the closest sister form and likely source

Rhonda— a like R- girls' name of the same era

Fiona— a same-feel Scottish girls' name

Moira— another soft Scots-Gaelic name

Explore names like Rhona

By themeheritage two-syllable scottish

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Rhona mean?

Rhona is a Scottish name, most often linked to the isle of Rona and sometimes read as a feminine of Ronald.

How do you pronounce Rhona?

It's said ROH-nuh /ˈroʊ.nə/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Rhona a boy or girl name?

Rhona is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Rhona?

Rhona is an uncommon Scottish heritage name that crested at mid-century and has stayed quiet since.