How Many People Are Named Rochelle?
An estimated 36,966 people in the United States have the first name Rochelle. It is predominantly female (99.2%). The average bearer is 53 years old, and Rochelle peaked in popularity in 1969 with 1,283 births that year.
Below you will find a full statistical profile of Rochelle as a first name in the United States, including gender data, a year-by-year popularity timeline going back to 1880, a decade breakdown, state-by-state birth registrations, and, when available, a 2020 Census snapshot showing who had the name at that point in time. You can also check how many people share the full name Rochelle paired with any surname.
Key Insights
- While Rochelle is overwhelmingly female, 401 male births have been registered with this name since 1880.
Estimated Living Americans
36,966
About 1 in 9,272 people in the U.S.
Rarity
Uncommon
Predicted Gender
Female
99.2% confidence
Average Age
53
years old
Peak Year
1969
1,283 births
Total Registered
47,367
since 1880
Gender Distribution for Rochelle
Rochelle is almost exclusively a female name. Out of 47,367 total births registered, 99.2% were female.
Rochelle as a male name
Ranked #8,659 in 1995
6 male births in 1995
Peak: 1962 (18 births)
Rochelle as a female name
Ranked #4,009 in 2024
37 female births in 2024
Peak: 1969 (1,270 births)
Rochelle in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 40,162 people with the first name Rochelle, which placed it at #1,042 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name in 2020. The estimated living count elsewhere on this page is different: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two figures are not expected to match exactly.
Read this section as a snapshot of people who already had the name in 2020. The SSA charts elsewhere on this page are still the better way to see how the name rose, fell, or shifted across generations.
Gender in the 2020 Census
In the 2020 Census, Rochelle was recorded as predominantly female. Out of 40,162 people with this name in that snapshot, 0.5% were male and 99.5% were female. That is very close to the long-run birth pattern in SSA records, where the name is female 99.2% of the time.
Census Count
40,162
people with this name
Census Rank
#1,042
among Census first names
Frequency Rate
13.30
per 100,000 people
Recorded Race and Hispanic Origin in the 2020 Census
In the 2020 Census, the first name Rochelle was most commonly recorded among people who identified as White (56.10%). The next largest recorded groups were Black (27.52%) and Hispanic (6.32%).
These percentages describe the people who had the first name Rochelle in the 2020 Census. They do not tell you the deeper meaning or origin of the name itself.
2020 Census demographic breakdown
Each row shows a recorded Census category for people with the first name Rochelle.
| Group | Share | Count |
|---|---|---|
| White | 56.10% | 22,534 |
| Black | 27.52% | 11,053 |
| Hispanic | 6.32% | 2,537 |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 4.92% | 1,978 |
| Two or More Races | 3.67% | 1,476 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.47% | 592 |
The Census published separate sex and race/origin tables for first names, so their total counts can differ slightly for the same name. That is why the race section focuses on the demographic mix rather than repeating a second headline count.
Rochelle: Popularity Over Time
SSA records for Rochelle span from the 1900s to the 2020s, covering 13 decades of naming data. The most popular decade for this name was the 1960s, when 9,970 babies were registered. Rochelle has declined significantly from its peak in the 1960s. Recent registrations are a fraction of what they were at the name's height.
Rochelle by Decade
How has Rochelle tracked across different eras? The table below groups all SSA birth registrations into 10-year periods, with separate male and female counts. The colored bar shows each decade's share relative to the peak.
Rochelle by State
Birth registrations for Rochelle span all 49 states and territories in the SSA database. The highest counts are in California, New York, Illinois. The lowest are in Wyoming, Maine, Rhode Island. On average, about 875 Rochelles were registered per state.
Rochelle + Last Name Combinations
How many people share a full name with Rochelle as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Names Similar to Rochelle
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
Rochelle: Questions and Answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rochelle?
We estimate approximately 36,966 people named Rochelle are alive in the United States today. This is based on SSA birth records from 1880 to 2024, adjusted for mortality using CDC life tables. About 1 in 9,272 Americans share this first name.
Is Rochelle a common name?
Rochelle is classified as "Uncommon" and is more popular than 99% of all first names in the SSA database. A total of 47,367 births have been registered with this name since 1880.
When was Rochelle most popular?
Rochelle reached peak popularity in 1969, when 1,283 babies were given this name. The average age of a living person named Rochelle is approximately 53 years old, reflecting when the name was most commonly given.
How common was Rochelle in the 2020 Census?
The 2020 Census recorded 40,162 people with the first name Rochelle. That placed it at #1,042 in the published Census first-name tables, or 13.30 people per 100,000.
Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?
Because they measure different things. The Census number is a count of people with the name in 2020. The living estimate is a current model based on SSA birth records and survival rates, so it aims to estimate how many people with the name are alive now.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The popularity chart tracks birth registrations, not people currently alive. It shows how often Rochelle was given to babies from 1880 through 2024, which is why it is the best tool on the page for seeing long-run naming trends.
What does the Census say about the gender split for Rochelle?
In the 2020 Census snapshot, Rochelle was recorded as predominantly female. The published split was 0.5% male and 99.5% female.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Rochelle?
In the 2020 Census, the first name Rochelle was most commonly recorded among people who identified as White (56.10%). The next largest recorded groups were Black (27.52%) and Hispanic (6.32%). These percentages describe the people who had the name in the 2020 Census, not the deeper meaning or origin of the name itself.
Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?
The Census published separate first-name tables for sex and for race and Hispanic origin. Those totals can differ slightly for the same name, so the page uses them as two related snapshots rather than treating them as perfectly interchangeable counts.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name tables only include names that met the Bureau's publication rules. That means some names on this site will have SSA history but no published Census demographic snapshot.
Is Rochelle a female name?
Rochelle is predominantly female. 99.2% of people with this name are female. See the gender breakdown above for full details.
Why can Rochelle have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because a name can build up a large population over many decades. Rochelle peaked in 1969, and the average living bearer is about 53 years old, so a name can still have millions of living bearers even after it stops feeling current for newborns.
How many Rochelle Smiths are there?
To find how many people share a specific full name, we combine first name and surname frequencies. Try: Rochelle Smith, Rochelle Johnson, Rochelle Williams. You can also search any combination on our homepage.
Where does this data come from?
Our estimates use Social Security Administration birth records (1880 to 2024), adjusted for survival using CDC 2023 life tables broken down by sex. The U.S. population figure (342,754,338) is from the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimate. Full methodology.
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