Royal

Royal - A very unique male name

Royal appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #543. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Royal and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Royal? 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 Royal. The baby boy name Royal was given to 616 baby boys in 2025, ranking #472 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 2,380 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Royal peaked in popularity 5 years ago in 2021 on position 368.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Royal, 1-5?

Royal is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Royal is currently topping the baby name charts in Georgia at position #257 - and is the least popular in Virginia at position #782.

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 Royal is where you live.

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Royal origin and meaning

English word name

'Royal, kingly' — from Old French roial, from Latin regalis

Royal has been used as an American given name since at least 1910, part of a long tradition of title and virtue words — King, Prince, Duke — given to sons. It enjoyed a fresh vogue in the 2010s, peaked in 2021, and is now easing back.

Attested etymology

Royal is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Royal

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

Riley / Raul / Roel / Rylee / Reilly / Rahul / Ryley / Raoul / Rollie / Rylo /

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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 Royal

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 Royal 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 Royal?

2 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-ul · /ˈrɔɪəl/

Around the world

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

Spellings and nicknames

• Royale — Elaborated spelling with a final e.

Nicknames: Roy

Famous bearers

None yet — no bearer for this name is documented well enough for us to list, so we show none rather than pad the list.

Style

Word nameRoyal

Why parents choose it

Royal is a statement name, chosen to sound grand and self-assured from day one. It fits the current appetite for title names for boys at their boldest.

Worth knowing

• It sets a high bar and draws comment — some hear confidence, others hear pretension.
• Expect confusion with Roy and Royale, and jokes about royalty.