Roy

Roy - A very unique male name

Roy appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #29. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Roy and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Roy? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Roy. The baby boy name Roy was given to 540 baby boys in 2025, ranking #520 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 2,715 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Roy peaked in popularity 116 years ago in 1910 on position 29.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Roy, 1-5?

Roy is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Roy is currently topping the baby name charts in Montana at position #157 - and is the least popular in Illinois at position #920.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Roy is where you live.

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Roy origin and meaning

Scottish Gaelic / French — disputed

Uncertain — in Scotland from Gaelic ruadh, 'red' (a nickname for red hair); elsewhere from French le Roy, 'the king', as a surname

Roy has two honest sources that cannot be separated in individual cases: the Scottish Gaelic word for red and the Norman French word for king, both of which became surnames and then first names. Huge in the mid-1900s, it fell for decades and is now rising slightly again.

Origin uncertain

Roy is a 3 letter name with 1 syllables.

To see famous people named Roy, pop culture references for the name Roy and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Roy

We've found the following names that sound similar to Roy, sorted by popularity.

Ray / Rory / Rey / Rio / Ryu / Rui / Ryo / Rye / Rei / Rai /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Roy

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Roy a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Roy?

1 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

ROY · /rɔɪ/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Famous bearers

• Roy Orbison — American singer-songwriter of 'Oh, Pretty Woman' (1936–1988) Historical
• Roy Rogers — American singing cowboy star of film and television (1911–1998) Historical

Style

ClassicVintage revival

Why parents choose it

Short, sturdy and retro — Roy is coming back as grandpa names return, without yet being common.

Worth knowing

• Its mid-century peak means some still hear a much older man; that vintage feel is the point for most parents now.