Rocky
Top 1000
About Rocky
A popular choice back in the 50s and 70s, Rocky fell into decline after Sylvester Stallone's battered but not beaten boxer character became the overwhelming association many had with the name. Now, nearly five decades on from when the first Rocky movie was released, this tough yet playful name is back in style, ready to forge an identity of its own. Given to around 420 boys in the US in a recent year, it was one of the fastest rising names in the charts.
Rocky can be considered an English word name, referring to an environment with many rocks, or it can be viewed as a nickname-name, derived from Rocco, meaning "rest, repose" or "rook", or from Roderick, meaning "famous ruler". Alternatively, it has been used simply as a nickname for someone strong and rugged.
Boxer Rocky Marciano was a notable bearer who helped popularize the name back in the 50s, however, the more resurgence of Rocky is likely down to the actress Sarah Michelle Geller and actor Freddie Prinze Jr. choosing it for their son back in 2012. It subsequently reappeared in the US Top 1000 in 2013 and has been on the rise ever since.
Pronounced RAH-kee.
As of October 2026, Rocky ranked #568 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #240 in 1955, Nameberry popularity #547.
Editor's take: The name Rocky is a boy's name of Italian origin meaning "rock; rest; rook".
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #989 | 211 | 109.8 |
| 2015 | #927 | 231 | 120.5 |
| 2016 | #955 | 217 | 114.3 |
| 2017 | #960 | 217 | 117.2 |
| 2018 | #910 | 237 | 130.5 |
| 2019 | #842 | 267 | 148.8 |
| 2020 | #862 | 263 | 152.4 |
| 2021 | #870 | 266 | 152 |
| 2022 | #884 | 268 | 153.5 |
| 2023 | #888 | 262 | 153.2 |
| 2024 | #657 | 418 | 242.6 |
| 2025 | #568 | 520 | 304.4 |
World rankings
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Rocky.
- Brick
- Tennessee
- Slash
- Trigger
- Ireland
- Buddy
- Tex
- Texas
- Sergeant
- Moose
- Handsome
- Nashville
- Boomer
- Senegal
- Race
- Diesel
- London
- Buck
- Major
- Kodak
Rocky on lists
Famous Rockys
- Rocky Marciano (born Rocco Francis Marchegiano)
American boxer
- Thomas Rocco "Rocky" Graziano
American boxer
- Rocky Elsom
Australian Rugby Union Player
- Rocky Mark Lynch
American guitarist of band R5
- Ross Carl "Rocky" Anderson
American politician
- Roscoe "Rocky" Carroll
American actor
- Rocky Johnson
ring name of Wayde Douglas Bowles, Canadian pro wrestler and father of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
- Rocky James Prinze (b. 2012)
son of actors Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr.
- Rocky Joe Boatman
son of actor and poker player Ross Boatman
- Rocky
the stage name of Park Minhyuk; dancer, rapper and vocalist of South Korean boy band Astro
- Rocky Barnes
model
- Rocky Valentine Adlon
daughter of Pamela Adlon
- Raquel "Rocky" Dakota
reality TV star
- Raquel "Rocky" Santiago
reality TV star
Rocky in pop culture
- Rocky Balboa
main character in the "Rocky" films
- Rocket J. "Rocky" Squirrel
main character in animated series "Rocky & Bullwinkle"
- Rocky Rodent
character in video game "Rocky Rodent"
- Rocky Sullivan
main character of the film "Angels with Dirty Faces"
- Rocky Wrenches
character in the Super Mario Bros. video games
- Rocky and Mugsy
gangster characters in Looney Tunes cartoons
- "Rocky
" comic strip and its lead character
- Joseph "Rocky" Rockford
character on TV's "The Rockford Files"
- Rocky the Breakdown Crane
character on TV series "Thomas and Friends "
- Rocky the Rooster
a main character in animated film "Chicken Run"
- Rocky
character on animated series "PAW Patrol"
- Rocky Robinson
character in the animated series "The Amazing World of Gumball"
- Rocky
a main character in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show"
- Rocky DeSantos
red/blue ranger character in the Power Rangers series
- "Rocky Handsome
" 2016 Indian film and its main character
- Rocky Rayburn
baby character in Netflix's "Bloodline"
- Rocky Gibraltar
toy wrestler in the Toy Story series
- Raquel Oprah "Rocky" Blue
female character on TV's "Shake It Up"
- Rocky Ranginui
character in the film "BOY"