Rood

♂ Boy

Pronounced ROOD /ˈruːd/High

Meaning: Rood is the Old English word for a cross or crucifix, best known from the poem 'The Dream of the Rood' and from place names such as Holyrood ('holy cross'). Separately, Rood is a Dutch surname meaning 'red'. It is very unusual as a given name.Medium

In 30 seconds: One firm syllable: Rood is the Old English word for the Cross, and also a Dutch surname meaning 'red' (said 'ROOD'). Unusual as a first name.

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Origin LowEnglish, Dutch

MeaningRood is the Old English word for a cross or crucifix, best known from the poem 'The Dream of the Rood' and from place names such as Holyrood ('holy cross'). Separately, Rood is a Dutch surname meaning 'red'. It is very unusual as a given name.

U.S. rank (2023)#13766

2023 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2023

Total births (all-time)≈ 5

History & Origin

Rood carries two honest histories. In Old English it named the Cross, and it survives that way in the great early poem 'The Dream of the Rood' and in Holyrood, 'holy cross'. In Dutch, Rood is a surname meaning 'red'. Neither route is a traditional first name, and using Rood as one is unusual — we say so plainly (said 'ROOD').

It appears only extremely rarely for boys in the U.S. Rare, weighty, and short.

Did you know? Rood is the Old English word for the Cross — the same word behind 'The Dream of the Rood' and Holyrood, 'holy cross'. In Dutch it is a surname meaning 'red'. Both routes are real; as a given name it is genuinely unusual, which we note (said 'ROOD').

Overall data confidence 50%

References — Rood — Old English 'cross'; Dutch surname 'red'

Variations

RoodeRodeRud

Nicknames

RooRudy

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Rood mean?

Rood is the Old English word for the Cross or crucifix, as in 'The Dream of the Rood' and Holyrood; it is also a Dutch surname meaning 'red'.

How do you pronounce Rood?

It's said ROOD /ˈruːd/ — one syllable, rhyming with 'mood'.

Is Rood a boy or girl name?

Rood is used here as a boy's name, though it is very unusual as a given name at all.

How popular is Rood?

Rood is an extremely rare name for boys in the U.S.