Roger is a masculine given name, and a surname. The given name is derived from the Old French personal names and . These names are of Germanic origin, derived from the elements , χrōþi ("fame", "renown", "honour") and , ("spear", "lance") (Hrōþigēraz). The name was introduced into England by the Normans. In Normandy, the Frankish name had been reinforced by the Old Norse cognate . The name introduced into England replaced the Old English cognate . Roger became a very common given name during the Middle Ages. A variant form of the given name Roger that is closer to the name's origin is Rodger. Slang and other uses From up to , Roger was slang for the word "penis". In Under Milk Wood, Dylan Thomas writes "jolly, rodgered" suggesting both the sexual double entendre and the pirate term "Jolly Roger". In 19th-century England, Roger was slang for another term, the cloud of toxic green gas that swept through the chlorine bleach factories periodically. From circa 1940 in US and UK wartime communication, "Roger" came to represent "R" when spelling out a word. "R" is the first letter in "received", used to acknowledge understanding a message. This spread to civilian usage as "ROGER" replaced "received" in spoken usage in air traffic radio parlance by 1950. Current British slang includes the word as a verb to mean sexual intercourse, i.e., "took her home and Rogered her." Spellings The following forenames are related to the English given name Roger: Alt. People Given name Medieval period See also , and for people with these names Kings and rulers Hrothgar, semi-legendary Danish king living around the early sixth century AD Roger I of Sicily, Norman ruler of Sicily Roger II of Sicily (1095–1154), Norman King of Sicily and Africa, one of the principal commanders of Second Crusade Roger III of Sicily (1175–1193), briefly King of Sicily Others Roger, Archbishop of Patras (in post 1337–1347) Roger (Archdeacon of Barnstaple) (in post from 1155) Roger (archbishop of Benevento) (died 1221) Roger (bishop of Ross) (died c. 1350) Roger (larderer) (died 1102), Bishop-elect of Hereford Roger Borsa (1060/61–1111), Norman Duke of Apulia and Calabria Roger (son of Dagobert) (), Norman magnate who served the Byzantine empire Roger I. de Sentes, 12th century French bishop Roger I Trencavel (died 1150), Viscount of Carcassonne Roger I de Fézensaguet (1190–1245), Viscount of Fézensaguet Roger I of Carcassonne (died 1012), Count of