Roy
Roy was the 525th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 570 babies. Its best year was 1889, when it ranked 18th; the most babies were born in 1947 (7,560). Over the last ten years it has moved up 8 places. More babies were named Roy in the 1940s than in any other decade.
Meaning red (Gaelic) or king (Norman French) · Scottish Gaelic, French, Latin
Say it ROY /rɔɪ/
- Rank in 2025
- #525 boys, up 47 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 570boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 19477,560 babies
- Total since 1880
- 411,331babies recorded
What does the name Roy mean?
Roy has more than one source. In Scotland it anglicizes Gaelic ruadh, red or red-haired, originally a nickname. In England it can come from Anglo-Norman roy, king, a variant of Old French roi, from Latin rex. Wiktionary also notes a separate Bengali surname, Ray or Roy. Wiktionary lists the first name as coming from the Scottish Gaelic word. Which source applies to a surname depends on the family.
ruadh (Scottish Gaelic, “red, red-haired”)roy (Anglo-Norman, “king”)rēx (Latin, “king”)
How sure is this? Uncertain. Several unrelated origins (Gaelic 'red', Norman French 'king', Bengali surname); Wiktionary lists the given name as from Scottish Gaelic. Wiktionary only; no edited source checked.
Other explanations you may read: Always means 'king'. That is true only of the Norman French surname; the Scottish first name is from Gaelic 'red'..
Related names: Rory, Rey, Leroy, Royal.
See also: Scottish names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Roy' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Wiktionary, entry 'ruadh' (Scottish Gaelic section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
Roy popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 2,693 since 1885.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #525 | 570 |
| 2020 | #572 | 487 |
| 2010 | #555 | 457 |
| 2000 | #400 | 638 |
| 1990 | #235 | 1,227 |
| 1980 | #153 | 1,779 |
| 1970 | #108 | 3,041 |
| 1960 | #80 | 5,255 |
| 1950 | #51 | 6,454 |
| 1940 | #42 | 5,565 |
| 1930 | #33 | 5,917 |
| 1920 | #32 | 6,355 |
| 1910 | #29 | 1,267 |
| 1900 | #21 | 1,215 |
| 1890 | #18 | 941 |
| 1880 | #37 | 440 |
How popular is Roy, counting every spelling?
Roy is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #497 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #525 for Roy on its own. Together these spellings went to 609 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roy | 570 | #525 | 2,679 |
| Roi | 34 | #3,433 | 133 |
| Roey | 5 | #13,494 | 28 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Roy?
570 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Roy (0.16 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Roy born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 15 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Roy.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Roy?
About 162,800 people born in the US named Roy are alive today, with a median age of 65; half are between 50 and 75. That makes Roy a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Roy by state
How common Roy was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Montana (5.7×), Idaho (2.0×), Nebraska (1.9×), Minnesota (1.8×), Oregon (1.7×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Connecticut, Arkansas, Mississippi.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Roy: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Roy, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Roy · Sibling names for Roy
Roy is also a nickname for Leroy.
Questions about the name Roy
What does Roy mean?
Roy is usually explained as “red (Gaelic) or king (Norman French)”, but this is uncertain. Certainty: uncertain.
How popular is the name Roy?
Roy was the 525th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 570 babies. Its best year was 1889, when it ranked 18th; the most babies were born in 1947 (7,560). Over the last ten years it has moved up 8 places. More babies were named Roy in the 1940s than in any other decade.
Is Roy a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Roy in the US.
Where is Roy most popular?
In 2021–2025, Roy was most common in Montana (1.76 per 1,000 boys), followed by Idaho and Nebraska.