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Name Origin

Roland is a Germanic name of French origin, derived from the elements 'hrod' meaning 'fame' and 'land' meaning 'country' or 'territory'. Traditionally, it signifies 'famous throughout the land.' The name gained prominence through the medieval epic poem 'The Song of Roland', which tells the story of a heroic paladin who served Charlemagne.

germanicfrenchmedievalheroicfamewarriorloyaltylegend

Famous People

Roland Barthes (1915-1980)

Philosopher, literary theorist, and critic

  • Semiotics pioneer
  • Authored influential works like 'Mythologies' and 'The Death of the Author'
  • Key figure in post-structuralist thought

Roland Emmerich (1955-)

Film director, screenwriter, and producer

  • Known for blockbuster films like 'Independence Day', 'The Day After Tomorrow', and '2012'
  • Directs action-packed science fiction and disaster movies

Roland Garros (1888-1918)

French aviator

  • Pioneer of aviation during World War I
  • First person to fly across the Mediterranean Sea
  • The French Open tennis tournament is named after him

Roland Schoeman (1980-)

Swimmer

  • Olympic gold medalist in the 4x100m freestyle relay (2004)
  • World champion in the 50m and 100m butterfly events