From the name of the French city La Rochelle, meaning "little rock". It first became commonly used as a given name in America in the 1930s, probably due to the fame of actress Rochelle Hudson (1914-1972) and because of the similarity to the name Rachel. Rochelle originates in French language and means "small rock". It was derived from the name of an important harbor city in France, La Rochelle, situated on the French Atlantic coast. Some sources suggest Rochelle could be a feminine form of the Italian name Rocco.
Rochelle Related Names Variants: Rochel, Rochele, Rochell, Roschelle, Roshelle
