Rhodes

At a Glance: Name: Rhodes – Meaning: as an English surname, 'one who lived near a woodland clearing'; also the Greek island Rhodes, whose own name origin is uncertain – Origin: English/Greek (dual origin) – Gender: Neutral – Pronunciation: ROHDZ

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Rhodes is a gender-neutral name pronounced ROHDZ, and it carries two separate backstories rather than one. As an English surname it referred to someone who lived near a woodland clearing, and it's also the name of the Greek island Rhodes, whose own origin is still uncertain. You may have heard that Rhodes means 'where the roses grow' — that's just one guess about the island's murky history, and it doesn't apply to the surname sense at all.

Meaning & Origin of Rhodes

Meaning: As an english surname, 'one who lived near a woodland clearing'; also the greek island rhodes, whose own name origin is uncertain.

Origin: English/Greek (dual origin).

A common claim: Rhodes means 'where the roses grow' Actually: This reflects only one of several competing guesses about the Greek island's uncertain name origin, and doesn't apply at all to the English surname sense, which actually means 'woodland clearing'.

Source: Wiktionary.

How to Pronounce Rhodes

Phonetic: ROHDZ   IPA: /ˈroʊdz/

Popularity of Rhodes

SSA records going back to 1915 show Rhodes has never ranked higher than #613 — and that's exactly where it landed in 2024, with 465 babies given the name that year. So by the numbers, 2024 is the name's best year on record so far.

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1915–2024.

Make Rhodes Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Rhodes, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.

Names With a Similar Story

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FAQ

What does the name Rhodes mean?

As an english surname, ‘one who lived near a woodland clearing’; also the greek island rhodes, whose own name origin is uncertain. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Rhodes)

How do you pronounce Rhodes?

Rhodes is pronounced ROHDZ (IPA: /ˈroʊdz/).

Is Rhodes a popular name right now?

Rhodes is at its highest recorded popularity right now, ranked #613 in 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1915–2024.)

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