Recent in Baby
When Baby Resists SolidsWhen Baby Resists SolidsBaby Biting TipsBaby Biting Tips5 Tips To Help Prevent Highchair Injuries5 Tips To Help Prevent Highchair InjuriesWhen Baby and Pet MeetWhen Baby and Pet MeetTreatments for ColicTreatments for ColicBaby Milestones – The First YearBaby Milestones – The First YearTips for Relieving Teething PainTips for Relieving Teething PainBenefits of Making Your Own Baby FoodBenefits of Making Your Own Baby Food

Home › Baby Names Directory › Rooster

Rooster

♂ Boy

Pronounced ROO-stur /ˈruː.stər/High

Meaning: Rooster is the American word for a male chicken — literally 'one that roosts'. As a name it works as a word-name and nickname, with a swaggering, folk-hero ring carried by characters like Rooster Cogburn in True Grit. It has no ancient given-name tradition, which we note.Low

In 30 seconds: A word-name with swagger: a rooster is the barnyard cockerel, the one who calls up the sun (said 'ROO-stur').
💕 Browse more names
Origin LowEnglish
MeaningRooster is the American word for a male chicken — literally 'one that roosts'. As a name it works as a word-name and nickname, with a swaggering, folk-hero ring carried by characters like Rooster Cogburn in True Grit. It has no ancient given-name tradition, which we note.
U.S. rank (2024)#13798 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2022
Total births (all-time)≈ 28

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202220192024

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

Rooster is a word-name, not an inherited one. The word itself is American, a polite nineteenth-century substitute for an older term, and means simply 'one that roosts'. Its life as a name is nickname life — bestowed for swagger, an early-rising streak, or a shock of red hair — and popular culture has kept it there, most famously with Rooster Cogburn. We note the word-name route honestly (said 'ROO-stur').

It appears only very rarely as a given name in the U.S. Very rare, bold, and colorful.

Did you know? Rooster is literally 'one that roosts' — an American coinage for the male chicken. As a name it's pure nickname energy, worn by tough-guy characters like Rooster Cogburn in True Grit. It's a word-name, not an old given name, which we note.
Overall data confidence 42%
References — Rooster — English word-name ('one that roosts'); nickname use; True Grit character

Variations

Roo

Nicknames

RooRooss

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Rooster…

Ranger— a like rugged American word-name
Hunter— shares the -er ending and outdoor feel
Colt— a like barnyard-and-frontier pick
Rebel— a like bold, swaggering word-name

Explore names like Rooster

By themeword-nameboldnicknameamericana
By meaningGift / BlessingTruth

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Rooster mean?

Rooster means the male chicken — literally 'one that roosts'. It's a word-name and nickname, not an old given name.

How do you pronounce Rooster?

It's said ROO-stur /ˈruː.stər/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Rooster a boy or girl name?

Rooster is a boy's name.

How popular is Rooster?

Rooster is very rare as a given name in the U.S.

💬 Ask Nia