Rooney
Boy name · #3872 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Rooney? In official American birth records, Rooney has been tracked continuously since 1943, giving it 82 years of documented American history.
Rooney is currently the #3872 boy name in the United States — 28 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #3982, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 64,286 boys born in 2025 was named Rooney.
Babies named Rooney per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 82-year story
Rooney first appears in the Social Security records in 1943, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2011, when 44 boys were named Rooney — good for #2699 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Rooney against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Rooney in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Rooney is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Rooney will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Rooney is most common
State-level data for Rooney is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Rooney
Statistically, parents drawn to Rooney tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Rigby, Conley, Berkley, Journey, and Ridley.
RigbyConleyBerkleyJourneyRidleyAndreyShreyRhyder
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Rooney | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 28 | #3848 |
| 2024 | 40 | #3045 |
| 2023 | 23 | #4456 |
| 2022 | 24 | #4303 |
| 2021 | 24 | #4247 |
| 2020 | 23 | #4275 |
| 2019 | 21 | #4639 |
| 2018 | 22 | #4476 |
| 2017 | 20 | #4746 |
| 2016 | 11 | #7157 |
| 2015 | 26 | #3982 |
| 2014 | 28 | #3693 |
| 2013 | 32 | #3339 |
| 2012 | 29 | #3625 |
| 2011 | 44 | #2699 |
| 2010 | 35 | #3181 |
| 2009 | 23 | #4278 |
| 2008 | 22 | #4395 |
| 2007 | 19 | #4808 |
| 2006 | 16 | #5303 |
| 2005 | 7 | #9115 |
| 2004 | 6 | #9948 |
| 1991 | 8 | #5942 |
| 1990 | 5 | #8117 |
| 1987 | 6 | #6089 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Rooney?
In official American birth records, the name Rooney first appeared in 1943 (over 82 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 82 years.
Is Rooney a popular boy name?
Rooney ranked #3872 among boys in 2025 with 28 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3982.
When was the name Rooney most popular?
Rooney peaked in 2011, when 44 American boys received the name (ranked #2699 that year). Since 2011 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Rooney?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 64,286 newborn American boys was named Rooney. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.