Ronaldo is a Portuguese male given name of Germanic origin. It is derived from the Germanic elements Hrodin and Land, which together mean "famous land" or "powerful land". The name Ronaldo has been popular in Portugal for many years, but it gained international recognition due to the famous Brazilian footballer, Ronaldo de Assis Moreira, often simply known as Ronaldo.
The name Ronaldo has not always been associated with football. Before Ronaldo became a global superstar, the name was already well-established in Portugal and other Portuguese-speaking countries. In fact, there are many notable people named Ronaldo who have made significant contributions in various fields such as politics, literature, and arts.
One of the earliest known individuals named Ronaldo was Ronaldo Teixeira, a Brazilian poet and journalist born in the late 19th century. He is considered one of the pioneers of modernist poetry in Brazil. Another notable figure is Ronaldo Souto Maior, a Portuguese politician who served as the Minister of Public Works between 1976 and 1978 during Portugal's Carnation Revolution period.
Despite its popularity in Portugal, the name Ronaldo is not particularly common elsewhere. However, it has gained some recognition internationally due to the fame of Brazilian footballer Ronaldo de Assis Moreira, born on September 22, 1980, in Rio de Janeiro. He started his professional football career at the age of just 16 and quickly became one of the world's most prolific scorers.
Ronaldo won numerous awards throughout his career, including two FIFA World Player of the Year awards (in 1997 and 2002), three UEFA Best Player in Europe Awards (in 1998, 2002, and 2003), and was named the Best FIFA Men's Player twice (in 2004 and 2005). He is also a two-time World Cup winner with Brazil (in 1994 and 2002).
In conclusion, Ronaldo is a Portuguese male given name of Germanic origin that means "famous land" or "powerful land". Although it gained international recognition due to Brazilian footballer Ronaldo de Assis Moreira, the name has been popular in Portugal for many years and has been carried by notable individuals from various fields.
The statistics provided show the number of babies named Ronaldo born each year in the United States from 1914 to 2023. The name Ronaldo appears to have gained popularity over time, with a significant increase in usage starting around the late 1990s.
From 1914 to 1986, there were fewer than 30 births per year for the name Ronaldo. However, in 1987, there were 25 births, marking a noticeable rise in popularity. This trend continued, with 49 births recorded in 1989 and 69 births in 1996.
The peak of popularity for the name Ronaldo occurred between 1997 and 2003, during which time there were more than 150 births per year. In 1997 alone, there were 157 births, a significant jump from previous years.
Since 2004, the popularity of the name Ronaldo has fluctuated but remained relatively high compared to earlier decades. Between 2004 and 2016, there were an average of around 180 births per year for the name Ronaldo.
More recently, the popularity of the name Ronaldo has shown signs of decline. From 2017 onwards, the number of births per year has been below 150, with 84 births recorded in 2023.
In total, there have been 5885 babies named Ronaldo born in the United States between 1914 and 2023. These statistics demonstrate how the popularity of a name can change over time and provide insight into trends in baby naming culture.