Ross

Ross - A very unique male name

Ross appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #266. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Ross and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Ross? 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 Ross. The baby boy name Ross was given to 71 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1482 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 20,652 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Ross peaked in popularity 41 years ago in 1985 on position 147.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Ross, 1-5?

Ross is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Ross is currently topping the baby name charts in Utah at position #548 - and is the least popular in California at position #2,412.

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 Ross is where you live.

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Ross origin and meaning

Scottish, from a surname and place name

From Scottish Gaelic ros, 'promontory, headland' — a surname for someone who lived on a headland, and a Scottish place name

Ross is a Scottish surname and place name that became a boy's first name in America over a century ago. Its boy-name peak was in 1985; after a long fall it has risen slightly in recent years. Short, outdoorsy and Celtic, it sits comfortably with today's one-syllable names.

Attested etymology

Ross is a 4 letter name with 1 syllables.

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

Similar to Ross

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

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

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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 Ross

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 Ross 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 Ross?

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

ROSS · /rɒs/

Around the world

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

Famous bearers

• Ross Perot — American businessman and independent presidential candidate, born Henry Ross Perot and universally known as Ross Perot (1930–2019) Contemporary
• Ross Lynch — American actor and singer, known from Austin & Ally and as a member of R5 (b. 1995) Contemporary

Style

SurnamePlace nameClassic

Why parents choose it

Ross is a compact Scottish name with a friendly, no-nonsense feel. It is a quiet classic — never trendy, never gone.

Worth knowing

• For a generation, Ross Geller of Friends is a first association, though his Ross is a first name of the same stock.
• It is also a common surname, so Ross-as-first-name occasionally gets flipped in records.