Making Roland hip

Is there any way to make [name_m]Roland[/name_m] into a more hip name? We are trying to honor a family member, but are not loving [name_m]Roland[/name_m] (or [name_m]Rollo[/name_m], [name_m]Rollie[/name_m], unless as a nickname). Also do not like [name_m]Orlando[/name_m] or [name_m]Rolando[/name_m]. We are trying for something more English/Irish/Scottish/Welsh as that is our heritage.

You could knock the first and last letter off to get the Irish [name_m]Olan[/name_m].

I can only think of [name_m]Rollin[/name_m] and [name_m]Roel[/name_m]. If you switch a few letters around you can get [name_m]Ronald[/name_m].

You could use an R name you like and do the same with [name_m]Roland[/name_m]'s middle so that he’s honoured by initials. I like [name_m]Olan[/name_m] too.

[name_m]Rollins[/name_m] is my favourite variation of [name_m]Roland[/name_m]. Strikes me as an old-fashioned kind of cool. But it doesn’t totally lend itself to a first name.

Could [name_m]Landon[/name_m] work? It’s English, takes the -land from [name_m]Roland[/name_m] (though, they don’t share an origin), and it’s pretty hip, though not too common.

If not [name_m]Landon[/name_m], I’ve recently met someone with the name [name_m]Lander[/name_m]. I just thing it’s such a neat name! So different, yet not too out there. And it has an English origin (derived from [name_m]German[/name_m], like [name_m]Roland[/name_m]).

There’s also the Old-English [name_m]Ryland[/name_m] which is the closest name I can find to [name_m]Roland[/name_m]. [name_u]Rylan[/name_u] might be an option too, since it also has Irish ties (kind of like a hip [name_u]Ryan[/name_u]).

A bit of a stretch but maybe [name_m]Roderick[/name_m]? It’s [name_m]German[/name_m], like [name_m]Roland[/name_m], and they have similar meanings (“famous ruler” for [name_m]Roderick[/name_m], and “famous throughout the land” for [name_m]Roland[/name_m]). The Irish [name_u]Rory[/name_u] could be used a nickname (I thought it’s too removed from [name_m]Roland[/name_m] to be an option on its own). It also sounds very close to the Welsh [name_m]Rhodri[/name_m].

Good luck :slight_smile:

[name_m]Roland[/name_m] with nickname [name_m]Rollo[/name_m] or [name_u]Rory[/name_u] seems pretty cool to me!

Would it help to try it with a middle name (or as a middle name for) a name you love? Or maybe an evocative combination like [name_u]Rory[/name_u] [name_m]Landon[/name_m]?

[name_u]Rowan[/name_u], [name_m]Ronan[/name_m], and [name_m]Rowley[/name_m] are other names that might work. [name_m]Rowland[/name_m] is an alternative spelling that gives the name a different vibe; does it appeal to you more?

I was going to suggest [name_m]Landon[/name_m] too. Not sure if it’s all that hip, but [name_m]Ronan[/name_m] would work.

I think Roland is already pretty hip, to be honest, especially with Rollo as a nickname. It has a very hipster retro kind of vibe to me.

Although it is Germanic in etymological origin and came to Britain by way of the Normans, I think it is quite English in feel today. After all, the Normans did take over the country and had a huge and permanent impact on our language and culture. English is also a Germanic language of course, and a lot of traditional English names are Germanic. I don’t think Roland is out of place at all.

[name_m]Landon[/name_m] is a nice suggestion. Or. you could make it even closer to [name_m]Roland[/name_m] by going with [name_m]Landor[/name_m].

Thanks for the sugestions! I think the most striking so far to me would be [name_u]Rory[/name_u] with MN [name_m]Landon[/name_m]. We are trying to stay away from a FN that ends in an -n, especially the -don/-son/-ton sound, as it sort of clashes with our surname. Otherwise [name_m]Landon[/name_m] as a FN or some of the other suggestions would really strike me ([name_m]Olan[/name_m] was a great sugestion I thought). I have liked the name [name_u]Rory[/name_u] for a while but it had moved slightly out of my radar recently. I’ll see if the hubby can get on board with that. I really like the short length, androgynous name.