Randolph Name: Complete Etymology, Meaning & Popularity Analysis
Summary
The name Randolph has Old English roots, meaning 'shield wolf', derived from the elements 'rand' and 'wulf'. It evolved from Randwulf in Old English to Randolf in Middle English and is now used as Randolph. The name has historical significance, particularly among the English nobility, and is perceived as strong and noble in modern contexts. There is no biblical background associated with this name.
The name Randolph is most popular in Virginia, USA across all generations. It ranks highest as a Boy name among the Baby Boomers generation in the West region. Recent 3-year trends show this Boy name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. Recent 3-year trends show this Girl name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. From 2020-2022, Randolph has been stalled for male in MidWest, stalled for male in Northeast, stalled for male in South, stalled for male in West. The long-term 25-year analysis reveals it has been stalled for male in MidWest, stalled for male in Northeast, stalled for male in South, stalled for male in West. Across generations, 'Randolph' has shown interesting popularity patterns: Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 354th out of 7545 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 296th out of 6773 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 200th out of 7552 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 364th out of 10718 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 637th out of 16616 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 1681st out of 24088 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 3423rd out of 23106 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 8072nd out of 9204 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 6304th out of 12526 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 11640th out of 19264 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 27321st out of 27321 names. Discover how the name 'Randolph' has evolved through American history with our comprehensive regional and generational analysis.
Etymology & Cultural Background of "Randolph"
Pronunciation
/ˈrændɒlf/
Origin
Old English
Etymology
The name Randolph comes from the Old English elements 'rand', meaning 'shield' or 'rim', and 'wulf', meaning 'wolf'. Thus, it can be interpreted as 'shield wolf'.
Meaning
shield wolf
Language Evolution
Old English: Randwulf, Middle English: Randolf, Modern English: Randolph
Historical Usage
Randolph gained popularity during the medieval period in England and was commonly used among the nobility.
Variants & Derivatives
Randy, Randal, Rand, Ralph
Modern Popularity & Image
Today, Randolph is seen as a classic name that conveys strength and nobility, though it is less common than it once was.
Famous People
Randolph Churchill, Randolph Scott, Randolph Silliman Bourne
Explore More Randolph Name Visualizations
Historical Birth Statistics for the Name "Randolph"
Note: Years with identical rankings may represent different numbers of births. Data is sourced from Social Security card applications for births in the United States.
Yearly Ranking History of "Randolph"
"Randolph" Popularity Across American Generations
| Generation | Gender | Rank | Total Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Boy | 354th of 7545 | 4,451 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Boy | 296th of 6773 | 6,611 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Boy | 200th of 7552 | 24,659 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Boy | 364th of 10718 | 7,662 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Boy | 637th of 16616 | 3,835 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Boy | 1681st of 24088 | 1,281 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Boy | 3423rd of 23106 | 393 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Girl | 8072nd of 9204 | 10 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Girl | 6304th of 12526 | 66 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Girl | 11640th of 19264 | 31 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Girl | 27321st of 27321 | 5 |
Regional Popularity of "Randolph" by Generation for Male Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
41.45% 587th/1416 |
27.85% 384th/1379 |
10.61% 251st/2366 |
52.10% 595th/1142 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
24.45% 378th/1546 |
18.19% 283rd/1556 |
10.16% 239th/2353 |
21.27% 329th/1547 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
9.03% 201st/2227 |
7.61% 185th/2430 |
6.87% 196th/2853 |
6.59% 183rd/2775 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
13.35% 392nd/2937 |
8.38% 292nd/3483 |
10.43% 367th/3518 |
9.57% 387th/4044 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
19.70% 726th/3685 |
11.42% 511th/4475 |
11.49% 597th/5194 |
11.22% 709th/6317 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
51.03% 2338th/4582 |
29.84% 1541st/5164 |
19.31% 1412th/7313 |
24.68% 1842nd/7463 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
- |
73.95% 3318th/4487 |
59.57% 4064th/6822 |
55.83% 3504th/6276 |
Regional Popularity of "Randolph" by Generation for Female Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
- | - | - | - |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
- | - | - | - |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
- | - | - | - |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
- | - | - | - |
State-by-State Popularity of "Randolph"
This map shows the relative popularity of "Randolph" across states, calculated by dividing the number of births with this name in each state by the total births in that state. This methodology provides a standardized measure of popularity regardless of state population size.