Yes, my legal name is Roddy, after Roddy McDowell, the only other one I know of! In my case, Roddy is not short for Robert, Roderick, Rodger, etc.

Mugwort is a fragrant woody herb in the sage family.

To many Americans, its name sounds like something from a Harry Potter book; the only commonly-known "wort" plant is St John's Wort. Many old European herb names end in "wort," which comes from the German for "root" (and used more broadly for "herb").

I'm most familiar with California Mugwort, Artemisia vulgaris. There are a number of varieties, and the Latin name is inconsistent [1].
Some reports claim that it's native to Europe but widely naturalized in North America; I'm not convinced, since it's so widespread and varied here. I'm growing specimens which were sold as European Mugwort and Chinese Mugwort that look related but are recognizably different, perhaps even a different species.
I've seen "Mugwort" in gardens that looks rather different than the A. vulgaris I'm familiar with.

Mugwort is used medicinally by Native Americans, Chinese, and Europeans, for applications including:

• dream pillows: The smell of Mugwort stimulates dreaming, so it's often put in a small pouch near the sleeper's head. Ideally, it should be mixed with scents like Rose, to ensure sweet dreams. Mugwort can also be smoked, although it burns hot and harsh.
• Some Native Americans use Mugwort in the sweat lodge, in place of the more-familiar varieties of Sage. In fact, Mugwort, also called Buffalo Sage, is the only member of that family to grow in the Great Plains.
• To repel moths.
• When making beer, instead of hops. (Both hops and mugwort are antiseptic and bitter-tasting.)
• As a poultice for sprained ankles.
• In the shoes, to keep the feet comfortable and fresh.
• Germans add Mugwort when cooking a heavy meat dish, much like we might use herbal sage. They call the herb "Beifuss" (Beifuß). Plase note that Mugwort should be eaten only in small amounts!
• Acupuncturists uses "moxibustion", where a smoldering stick is held over the skin. This moxa stick is made of the fuzz from Mugwort leaves. (High-quality moxa is aged for many years and used internally, but I don't know the details of this use.)

Mugwort grows wild, typically in dry areas well above a watercourse, in partial shade (such as the edge of brush). Its dark-green leaves have white fuzzy undersides; higher leaves are slightly lobed, while lower leaves are entire. Mugwort grows in clumps, with the stems often running horizontally along the ground for a few inches before turning upright. It has a pleasant, friendly scent. Wormwood, Artemisia absinthum, is a relative that looks much like Mugwort.

Other Mugworts

It's not a common name, but there are others besides myself who use it:

• Peter Jaques (mugwort@usa.net or music@huzzam.com) is a klezmer musician and prisoners' rights activist in San Francisco.
• I've heard rumors of a woman by this name somewhere in far Northern California, but have never spoken to anybody who actually met her.

[1] Latin names for California Mugwort, according to the bonatical references, include:

• Artemisia vulgaris var heterophylla,
• A. heterophylla,
• A. Douglasiana, and
• A. vulgaris var californica.