Rodger

Rodger is a given name and surname, typically a variant spelling of Roger. It is used in English-speaking countries and can appear as both a first name and a family name. As a given name, Rodger has become less common in modern usage, but it persists in some families and communities.

The name Rodger shares the same origin as Roger. It derives from the medieval Frankish form Hrōdgar or Hrōdegar, which itself comes from the Proto-Germanic elements hrod meaning “fame” and gaiz or gar meaning “spear.” Through Old French and Middle English, the form Roger emerged, with Rodger representing an alternate spelling that developed in English spelling variation. The two names are typically pronounced the same way.

In contemporary contexts, Rodger remains relatively uncommon as a given name but continues to appear in various English-speaking regions. As a surname, Rodger is also less common than Rodgers but can be found in historical records and family lineages, often reflecting a patronymic origin from an ancestor named Roger.

Notable people named Rodger include Rodger Bumpass (born 1951), an American actor and voice actor best known for voicing Squidward Tentacles in SpongeBob SquarePants, and Rodger Young (1918–1944), a United States Army soldier and Medal of Honor recipient during World War II. The name also serves as a variant spelling seen in several other individuals and historical references.

See also: Roger, Rodgers, and other variant spellings of the name.