Roger
Roger is a masculine given name and a surname. The given name is derived from the Old French personal names Roger and Rogier. These names are of Germanic origin, derived from the elements hrōd, χrōþi ("fame", "renown", "honour") and gār, gēr ("spear", "lance") (Hrōþigēraz). The name was introduced into England by the Normans.[2] In Normandy, the Frankish name had been reinforced by the Old Norse cognate Hróðgeirr.[3] The name introduced into England replaced the Old English cognate Hroðgar. Roger became a very common given name during the Middle Ages. A variant form of the given name Roger that is closer to the name’s origin is Rodger.[4]
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Pronunciation | /ˈrɒdʒər, ˈroʊdʒər/[1] |
---|---|
Gender | Masculine |
Language(s) | English |
Origin | |
Language(s) | Germanic |
Derivation | hrōd + gār, gēr |
Meaning | "fame", "renown" + "spear", "lance" literally - "famous spear" |
Other names | |
Variant form(s) | Rodger, Rüdiger, Rutger |
See also | Robert, Rudolph, Rodney, Roderick |
Slang and other uses
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Look up roger in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
Roger is also a short version of the term "Jolly Roger", which refers to a black flag with a white skull and crossbones, formerly used by sea pirates since as early as 1723.
From c. 1650 up to c. 1870, Roger was slang for the word "penis".[5][6][7] In Under Milk Wood, Dylan Thomas writes "jolly, rodgered" suggesting both the sexual double entendre and the pirate term "Jolly Roger".[8]
In 19th-century England, Roger was slang for another term, the cloud of toxic green gas that swept through the chlorine bleach factories periodically.[9]
From circa 1940 in US and UK wartime communication, "Roger" came to represent "R" when spelling out a word. "R" is the first letter in "received", used to acknowledge understanding a message. This spread to civilian usage as "ROGER" replaced "received" in spoken usage in air traffic radio parlance by 1950.
Spellings
The following forenames are related to the English given name Roger:
- Arabic: روجر, romanized: Rōjar, Rōjir.
- Belarusian: Роджэр, romanized: Rodžer
- Catalan: Roger
- Simplified Chinese: 罗杰; traditional Chinese: 羅渣; pinyin: Luó jié
- Croatian: Ruđer, Rogerije
- Dutch: Rutger, Rogier
- Faroese: Róar
- Filipino: Rogelio
- French: Roger
- Galician: Roxerio, Roxer, Roxelio
- German: Rüdiger, Roger
- Greek: Ρογήρος, romanized: Rogéros, Rógi̱ros
- Gujarati: રોજર, romanized: Rōjara
- Hebrew: רוג׳ר, romanized: Rojer
- Hindi: रॉजर, romanized: Rŏjara
- Hungarian: Rezső, Rogerios
- Icelandic: Hróar, Hróðgeir, Ragnar
- Italian: Ruggero, Roggero, Ruggeri, Ruggiero, Rugiero
- Japanese: ロジャー, ロゲル, romanized: Rojā, Rogeru
- Kannada: ರೋಜರ್, romanized: Rōjar
- Korean: 로저; RR: Rojeo
- Kurdish: راجەر, romanized: Racer
- Latin: Rogerius
- Macedonian: Роџер, romanized: Rodžer
- Malayalam: റോജർ, romanized: Roger
- Manx: Roree
- Mongolian: Рожер, romanized: Rojyer
- Nepali: रोजर, romanized: Rōjara
- Norwegian: Roar, Roary, Roger
- Occitan: Rogièr, Rotger
- Persian: راجر, romanized: Rājər
- Polish: Roger, Gerek
- Portuguese: Rogério
- Punjabi: ਰੋਜ਼ਰ, romanized: Rōzara
- Russian: Роджер, romanized: Ródžer, Rodzher
- Serbian: Руђер, romanized: Ruđer
- Slovene: Rogerij
- Spanish: Rogelio
- Swedish: Roar, Roger, Rutger
- Tamil: ரோஜர், romanized: Rōjar
- Telugu: రోజర్, romanized: Rōjar
- Thai: โรเจอร์, romanized: Rochoe
- Ukrainian: Роджер, romanized: Rodzher
- Urdu: راجر, romanized: Rājər
- Welsh: Rosser, Rozier
- Yiddish: ראַדזשער, romanized: Radzher
People
Medieval period
See also All pages with titles beginning with Roger de, All pages with titles beginning with Roger of and All pages with titles beginning with Roger van for people with these names
- Roger, Archbishop of Patras (in post 1337–1347)
- Roger (Archdeacon of Barnstaple) (in post from 1155)
- Roger (archbishop of Benevento) (died 1221)
- Roger (larderer) (died 1102), Bishop-elect of Hereford
- Roger Borsa (1060/61–1111), Norman Duke of Apulia and Calabria
- Roger (son of Dagobert) (fl. 1098–1108), Norman magnate who served the Byzantine empire
- Roger I of Sicily, Norman ruler of Sicily
- Roger I. de Sentes, 12th century French bishop
- Roger I Trencavel (died 1150), Viscount of Carcassone
- Roger I de Fézensaguet (1190–1245), Viscount of Fézensaguet
- Roger I of Carcassonne (died 1012), Count of Carcassone
- Roger I of Tosny (died c. 1040), Norman nobleman
- Roger II of Sicily (1095–1154), Norman King of Sicily and Africa, one of the principal commanders of Second Crusade
- Roger II Trencavel (died 1194), Viscount of Carcassone
- Roger III, Duke of Apulia (1118–1148), Duke of Apulia, Sicily
- Roger III of Sicily (1175–1193), briefly King of Sicily
- Roger IV, Count of Foix (died 1265)
- Roger IV, Duke of Apulia (1152-1161)
- Roger of Lauria (c. 1245–1305), Italian admiral
- Roger Bacon, English philosopher
- Roger Bigod of Norfolk (died 1107), Norman knight who participated in the Norman Conquest of England
- Roger Frugardi (c. 1140 – c. 1195), Salernitan surgeon
- Roger Norreis (died c. 1224), Abbot of Evesham
- Roger of Salisbury (died 1139), also known as Roger le Poer, Norman Bishop of Salisbury and Lord Chancellor and Lord Keeper of England
- Roger of Worcester from 1163 to 1179
- Roger, 4th Earl of March 1374 - 1398
Modern era
- Roger Adams, Nobel Prize chemist
- Roger Ailes, American television executive, chairman and CEO of Fox News
- Roger Angell, baseball writer for The New Yorker
- Roger Ashton (footballer), Welsh footballer
- Roger Avary, film director
- Roger Ballen, photographer
- Roger Bannister, British athlete, first man to run the four-minute mile
- Roger "Syd" Barrett, founder of Pink Floyd
- Roger Berrio, Colombian weightlifter
- Roger E. Billings (born 1948), American entrepreneur and developer of high-tech products
- Roger Binny, Indian cricketer
- Roger Joseph Boscovich, Croatian-Ragusan physicist, astronomer, mathematician, philosopher, diplomat, poet, and Jesuit
- Roger Boylan, American writer
- Roger Buckley (1937–2020), American historian
- Roger Bumpass (born 1951), American voice actor
- Roger Burnley (born 1966), British businessman, CEO of Asda
- Roger C. Carmel, American character actor
- Roger A. Caras, American wildlife photographer and writer
- Roger Casement, Irish patriot, poet, revolutionary, and British diplomat
- Roger Chaffee, American astronaut
- Roger Chan, the bus uncle
- Roger Chao, Australian explorer and mountain climber
- Roger Christian (songwriter), pop music lyricist
- Roger Clarke (rugby administrator), rugby administrator
- Roger Clemens, baseball player
- Roger Cook (journalist), British journalist
- Roger Corman, B-movie director and producer
- Roger Craig (baseball), baseball player
- Roger Craig (American football), American football player
- Roger Craig Smith (born 1975), American voice actor
- Roger Daltrey, lead singer of British rock band The Who
- Roger Davis (television actor), American actor
- Roger Delgado, British actor
- Roger Dobkowitz, producer and statistics expert for The Price is Right
- Roger Donaldson, movie producer and director
- Roger Ebert, film critic
- Roger M. Enoka, American neurophysiologist
- Roger Federer, Swiss tennis player
- Roger C. Field, inventor, industrial designer
- Roger Galera Flores, Brazilian football player
- Roger Fortin, Canadian boxer
- Roger Frampton, Australian jazz musician
- Roger García Junyent, Spanish football player
- Roger Gibbon, Trinidad and Tobago track cyclist
- Roger Glover, Welsh/English bassist, keyboardist, songwriter, and record producer
- Roger Godement, French mathematician
- Roger Goldammer, Canadian bikebuilder
- Roger Goodell, commissioner of the NFL
- Roger Guerreiro, Polish football player of Brazilian descent
- Roger Hall (disambiguation), several people
- Roger Hamby (born 1943), racing car driver
- Roger Hodgman Australian director
- Roger Hodgson, vocalist and songwriter from Supertramp
- Roger Howarth, American actor
- Roger Ilegems, Belgian track cyclist and road bicycle racer
- Roger Ingram, American trumpeter, educator, and author
- Roger Jackson, Canadian rower and academic
- Roger Jackson (wide receiver), American football player
- Roger L. Jackson, American actor
- Roger D. Ladd, II, Father, son, brother, cousin, uncle & more
- Roger José de Noronha Silva, Brazilian football player
- Roger Jouret, birth name of Plastic Bertrand, Belgian singer, musician and television presenter
- Roger Kettlewell, Canadian football player
- Roger Keyes, 1st Baron Keyes, Royal Navy officer, one of the principal commanders of Zeebrugge Raid, Naval operations in the Dardanelles campaign, Battle of Heligoland Bight (1914) and Second Ostend Raid
- Roger Köppel, Swiss journalist
- Roger Machado Marques, Brazilian football player
- Roger Lloyd-Pack, British actor
- Roger Manganelli, bass guitarist for Less Than Jake
- Roger Manvell, first director of the British Film Academy
- Roger Maris, baseball player
- Roger Mason Jr, American basketball player
- Roger Mayweather, boxer
- Roger McGuinn, singer and guitarist for The Byrds
- Roger McMurrin, American conductor
- Roger Michell, film director
- Roger Milla, Cameroon footballer
- Roger Miller, American musician
- Roger Mills (racewalker), English race walker
- Roger Moore, English actor, James Bond
- Roger Moreira, Brazilian musician
- Roger E. Mosley, American actor
- Roger Mudd, TV journalist
- Roger Muñoz, Nicaraguan basketball player
- Roger Myerson, American economist and professor
- Roger Penrose, English mathematical physicist
- Roger Penske, American businessman
- Roger Tory Peterson, American ornithologist
- Roger Pierre (1923–2010), French actor
- Roger Price (comedy) (1918–1990), American humorist who created Droodles and Mad Libs
- Roger Price (television producer) (born 1941), English television producer
- Roger Price (Australian politician) (born 1945), Labor member of the Australian House of Representatives (1984–2010)
- Roger Rees, British actor
- Roger Roger (composer), French composer
- Roger Rogerson, former detective of the NSW Police Force and convicted murderer
- Roger Sablonier (1941–2010), Swiss historian and writer
- Brother Roger (1915–2005), baptised Roger Louis Schutz-Marsauche, initiator of the Taizé community
- Roger Scruton (1944–2020), English philosopher and writer
- Roger Sessions, American music composer
- Roger Hale Sheaffe, British general, one of the principal commanders of War of 1812
- Roger Sheaffe (politician), member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
- Roger Sherman, American revolutionary, signer of many famous documents, inventor of congressional system, one of the founding fathers of the United States
- Roger Simons (1927–2020), Belgian journalist
- Roger Smith (actor), American actor
- Roger Smith (executive), chairman and CEO of General Motors and the subject of Michael Moore's documentary film Roger & Me
- Roger Spink (born 1958), Falkland Islands politician
- Roger Dale Stafford (1951-1995), convicted spree killer and serial killer
- Roger Staubach, American football player
- Roger Stone, American political lobbyist, strategist, and author
- Roger Sumich, New Zealand cyclist
- Roger Andrew Taylor, drummer for Duran Duran
- Roger Meddows Taylor, British drummer for Queen
- Roger Toussaint, transit worker's union official
- Roger Troutman (1951–1999), also known as Roger, R&B recording artist, singer for Zapp
- Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (born 1993), New Zealand rugby player
- Roger Vadim, French film director
- Roger Vangheluwe, Belgian bishop, resigned following pedophilia scandal
- Roger Waters, English rock musician and songwriter
- Roger Whittaker, British singer
- Roger Wicker (born 1951), U.S. Senator from Mississippi
- Roger Williams (pianist), pianist
- Roger Williams (theologian), co-founder of Rhode Island
- Roger Williams (soldier), Welsh soldier of fortune and military theorist, one of the principal commanders of Eighty Years' War and Battle of Arques
- Roger L. Worsley, American educator
- Roger Wrightson, English cricketer
- Roger Zelazny, American science-fiction author
Surname
- Neil Munroe Bunny Roger, English couturier, war hero
- Charles Rogier, Belgian liberal statesman and a leader in the Belgian Revolution, Prime Minister of Belgium
- Christophe Roger-Vasselin (born 1957), French former tennis player, father of Édouard
- Dimitri Roger, rapper known as Rich The Kid
- Édouard Roger-Vasselin (born 1983), French tennis player, son of Christophe
- Julius Roger (1819–1865), entomologist
- Marie-Sabine Roger (born 1957), French writer
- Mircea Roger (born 1947), Romanian Olympic rower
- Pierre Roger, birth name of Pope Clement VI
- Roger Roger (composer), French composer
Fictional characters
- Gold Roger (Gol D. Roger), the Pirate King in the manga/anime-series One Piece
- Roger (American Dad!), protagonist of the animated sitcom American Dad!
- Roger (Spongebob Squarepants), From the episode New Student Starfish
- Roger, in the short story "Thank You, Ma'am" by Langston Hughes
- Roger, a jolly prankster of the Burger Palace Boys from the hit 50s musical Grease
- Roger the Dodger, from The Beano
- Roger (Guilty Gear)
- Roger (Hellboy), a homunculus from the series Hellboy
- Roger, a pseudocharacter in Monty Python's Life of Brian whom the crowd wanted Pontius Pilate to release to make fun of his lisp ("Welease Woger".)
- Roger, a character in the novel Lord of the Flies, Jack's lieutenant and the tribe's torturer/hangman
- Roger (Tekken), a kangaroo character from the Tekken fighting game series, and Roger Jr., his son
- Roger Ackroyd, title character of Agatha Christie's novel The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
- Roger Brook secret agent and Napoleonic Wars Era gallant in a series of novels by Dennis Wheatley
- Roger Chillingworth, the antagonist in Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel The Scarlet Letter
- Roger Danish, a minor character in Arrested Development, Lindsey's high school counterpart and co-winner of the Best Hair Award
- Roger Baxter, Blythe Baxter’s father and supporting character in the cartoon Littlest Pet Shop
- Roger Davis (Rent), musician and ex-druggie of Rent
- Roger Fox, from the comic strip FoxTrot
- Roger Healey, captain/major played by Bill Daily in the I Dream of Jeannie 1960's sitcom
- Roger Hoyt, the main character on the short-lived series Life with Roger
- Roger Klotz, a bully on the cartoon series Doug
- Monsieur Roger LeClerc, in the BBC sitcom 'Allo 'Allo!
- Roger MacKenzie, character in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, portrayed by Richard Rankin in the TV adaptation
- Roger Murtaugh, cop played by Danny Glover in the Lethal Weapon movies
- Roger Rabbit, cartoon character from the 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit
- Roger Radcliffe, in Disney's animated film 101 Dalmatians
- Roger Radcliffe, in The Life and Times of Juniper Lee
- Roger Ramjet, cartoon superhero
- Roger Samms, the protagonist in the Bad Mojo
- Roger Smith, the main protagonist of the anime series The Big O
- Roger Sterling, co-owner of the advertising company Sterling Cooper, a character in the television series Mad Men
- Roger the Shrubber, a character in Monty Python and the Holy Grail who sells a shrubbery to King Arthur and Sir Bedevere.
- Roger Walker, one of the central protagonists in the Swallows and Amazons series by Arthur Ransome
- Roger Wilco, protagonist of the Space Quest game series
Animal
- Roger (kangaroo) - Australian kangaroo with an extraordinary buff physique, aka "Ripped Roger" (circa 2006 - 2018)
See also
- Roger Dodger (phrase)
- Roger-Vasselin (disambiguation)
- Roger (voice procedure)
- Ruggiero (character)
- Raja (similarly pronounced in some accents)
Citations
- Jones (1986) p. 427.
- Hanks (2006); Hanks; Hardcastle; Hodges (2006) p. 233.
- Hanks (2006).
- Hanks; Hardcastle; Hodges (2006) p. 233.
- Slang usage meaning penis from c. 1650 to c. 1870 - information from the Online Etymology Dictionary.
- Vulgar slang usage meaning to have sexual intercourse (mainly by men) - Oxford Dictionary
- wikt:roger
- Thomas, Dylan. Walford Davies; Ralph Maud (eds.). Under Milk Wood (The Definitive ed.). Phoenix, an imprint of The Orion Publishing Group. p. 66. Last explanatory note referred to page 3, (p. 3), of the original text
- Sherard, Robert (1897). The White Slaves of England.
References
- Hanks, P, ed. (2006) [2003]. "Roger". Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195081374. Retrieved 10 June 2016 – via Oxford Reference.
- Hanks, P; Hardcastle, K; Hodges, F (2006) [1990]. A Dictionary of First Names. Oxford Paperback Reference (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-861060-1.
- Jones, D; Gimson, AC (1986) [1917]. Everyman's English Pronouncing Dictionary (14th ed.). J.M. Dent & Sons. OL 4296804M.