Roger goes back to the Germanic Hrodger, from hrod, "fame", and ger, "spear", so it means "famous spear". The Normans carried it to England, and the Royal Air Force's radio word "Roger" for "received" made it a byword in the 20th century; tennis champion Roger Federer is its best-known bearer today. A top 100 name in mid-century America, Roger stood at number 372 in 2000 and has eased down to number 834 among boys in 2025.