Rook

Rook - A very unique male name

Rook appeared on the charts for the first time in 2011 on position #3084. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Rook and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Rook? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Rook. The baby boy name Rook was given to 20 baby boys in 2025, ranking #2450 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 73,314 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Rook peaked in popularity 1 years ago in 2025 on position 2450.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Rook, 1-5?

Rook is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Rook is currently topping the baby name charts in Utah at position #508 - and is the least popular in California at position #2,737.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Rook is where you live.

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Rook origin and meaning

English word name

'Rook' — the English word for the chess castle, and also for a crow-like bird; both uses descend from old words (the chess piece from Persian rukh via Old French)

Rook joined the bold one-syllable word names in the 2010s — data from 2011, with 2025 its highest year. Parents hear either the chess piece, strategic and castle-strong, or the clever black bird. It has no famous bearer yet, which is part of its appeal.

Attested etymology

Rook is a 4 letter name with 1 syllables.

To see famous people named Rook, pop culture references for the name Rook and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Rook

We've found the following names that sound similar to Rook, sorted by popularity.

Ricky / Rick / Ross / Rickey / Rex / Rocco / Royce / Rocky / Reece / Reese /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Rook

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Rook a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Rook?

1 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

ROOK · /rʊk/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Famous bearers

None yet — the name first appears in the data in 2011, and its oldest bearers are still young.

Style

Word nameNature

Why parents choose it

Rook is short, sharp and a little bit rogue — a chess piece and a wild bird in a single syllable.

Worth knowing

• Also a verb meaning to cheat or swindle, and a rookie pun waiting to happen — worth knowing