Rolla

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Rolla

Pronounced RAH-luh /ˈrɑː.lə/Medium

Meaning: Rolla is an early-American given name of debated origin: it most likely reflects the old Germanic name Rollo or Roland ('famous land'), and in the U.S. Midwest it also echoes the Missouri town of Rolla, itself supposedly named for the frontier scout figure Rolla.Low

In 30 seconds: Rolla is an early-1900s American name, likely from Rollo or Roland, or the Missouri place-name (said 'RAH-luh').

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Origin LowAmerican, Germanic

MeaningRolla is an early-American given name of debated origin: it most likely reflects the old Germanic name Rollo or Roland ('famous land'), and in the U.S. Midwest it also echoes the Missouri town of Rolla, itself supposedly named for the frontier scout figure Rolla.

U.S. rank (1964)#3955 ↘ Falling

1964 U.S. births6 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1916

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,306

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

Rolla is a vintage American name with more than one plausible source. It may carry on the old Germanic Rollo or Roland, and in the Midwest it also recalls the Missouri town of Rolla, which lent the name a regional footing in the early nineteen-hundreds.

It was always scarce, peaking around 1916 at a few dozen boys a year and dwindling to rarity by mid-century. It reads as a First-World-War-era antique and has not returned with the recent wave of old names.

Did you know? Rolla was a name of the wagon-and-rail era, cresting around 1916 at only a few dozen boys a year before fading toward mid-century.

Overall data confidence 50%

References — Rolla — early-American; Rollo/Roland or Missouri place-name

Variations

RolloRollandRolen

Nicknames

RolRoll

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Rolla…

Rollo— the likely Germanic source of the name

Roland— the fuller heroic name behind the same root

Orville— a matching early-1900s American vintage name

Otho— another rare old-fashioned boy's name of the era

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Rolla mean?

Rolla is an early-American name, likely from Rollo or Roland and echoing the Missouri town of Rolla.

How do you pronounce Rolla?

It's said RAH-luh /ˈrɑː.lə/ — two syllables.

Is Rolla a boy or girl name?

Rolla is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Rolla?

Rolla was always rare and is a genuine early-twentieth-century antique, scarce since mid-century.