Leroy Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: luh-ROY /ləˈrɔɪ/
Origin: French; English
Meaning: French: 'the king'; English: 'the king'
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Leroy has its roots in the Old French term "le roi," which translates to "the king." This phrase was used in medieval France, where it served as a title of respect and nobility. The term made its way into English during the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, when many French words and phrases were adopted into the English language.
The transformation from a phrase denoting royalty to a given name reflects the cultural significance of kingship in medieval society, where names often conveyed status and lineage. Historically, the name Leroy has been associated with various figures of authority and nobility, although specific notable individuals are less documented compared to other names.
The use of Leroy as a personal name became more common in the 19th century, particularly in the United States, where it was embraced by families of French descent and others who sought to evoke a sense of grandeur or heritage. The name's association with royalty and leadership has contributed to its appeal across generations.
Culturally, Leroy embodies themes of strength and dignity, resonating with the ideals of leadership and nobility. It has been featured in various literary works and popular culture, often symbolizing a character with authority or charisma.
The name has also inspired diminutive forms such as Lee, which can be seen as a more casual or affectionate variant. Overall, Leroy's etymological roots and historical significance reflect a deep connection to themes of power and respect, making it a name with enduring cultural resonance.
Famous people named Leroy
In this section, you will find notable people named Leroy. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Leroy who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Leroy who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Leroy Anderson is a composer best known for Sleigh Ride, The Typewriter, and Blue Tango.
Leroy Sane is a professional footballer best known for playing with Manchester City and the German national team.
Leroy Neiman was an artist best known for his vibrant paintings of sports and leisure activities.
Leroy Jethro Gibbs is a fictional character best known as the lead agent in the television series NCIS.
Fictional characters named Leroy
The following list of fictional characters named Leroy is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Leroy Jethro Gibbs is a fictional character from the TV series NCIS. He is the special agent in charge of the NCIS Major Case Response Team, known for his leadership and investigative skills.
Leroy is a fictional character from the animated series The Boondocks. They are a member of the Freeman family and often provide comedic commentary on social issues.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Leroy, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Leroy. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Leroy was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Leroy has ranked as high as #121 nationally, which occurred in 1924, and has been most popular in Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Illinois, New York, and Louisiana.
In the past 5 years the name Leroy has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Leroy is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Leroy was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Leroy (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| PA | 23 | |
| CA | 18 | |
| MI | 17 | |
| TX | 16 | |
| MN | 14 | |
| WI | 14 | |
| OH | 12 | |
| FL | 10 | |
| IA | 10 | |
| MO | 10 | |
| NY | 10 | |
| OR | 9 | |
| GA | 8 | |
| NC | 8 | |
| IL | 8 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Leroy.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 278 |
| 2023 | 270 |
| 2022 | 281 |
| 2021 | 254 |
| 2020 | 242 |
| 2019 | 224 |
| 2018 | 250 |
| 2017 | 227 |
| 2016 | 230 |
| 2015 | 209 |
| 2014 | 191 |
| 2013 | 206 |
| 2012 | 225 |
| 2011 | 187 |
| 2010 | 219 |
| 2009 | 201 |
| 2008 | 231 |
| 2007 | 195 |
| 2006 | 211 |
| 2005 | 187 |
| 2004 | 222 |
| 2003 | 225 |
| 2002 | 218 |
| 2001 | 215 |
| 2000 | 252 |
| 1999 | 252 |
| 1998 | 279 |
| 1997 | 308 |
| 1996 | 308 |
| 1995 | 341 |
| 1994 | 339 |
| 1993 | 361 |
| 1992 | 414 |
| 1991 | 449 |
| 1990 | 504 |
| 1989 | 488 |
| 1988 | 490 |
| 1987 | 499 |
| 1986 | 540 |
| 1985 | 539 |
| 1984 | 530 |
| 1983 | 524 |
| 1982 | 674 |
| 1981 | 616 |
| 1980 | 699 |
| 1979 | 730 |
| 1978 | 707 |
| 1977 | 735 |
| 1976 | 760 |
| 1975 | 799 |
| 1974 | 773 |
| 1973 | 807 |
| 1972 | 916 |
| 1971 | 1,012 |
| 1970 | 1,169 |
| 1969 | 1,230 |
| 1968 | 1,197 |
| 1967 | 1,277 |
| 1966 | 1,349 |
| 1965 | 1,538 |
| 1964 | 1,585 |
| 1963 | 1,644 |
| 1962 | 1,703 |
| 1961 | 1,829 |
| 1960 | 1,867 |
| 1959 | 2,018 |
| 1958 | 2,074 |
| 1957 | 2,316 |
| 1956 | 2,352 |
| 1955 | 2,415 |
| 1954 | 2,639 |
| 1953 | 2,579 |
| 1952 | 2,645 |
| 1951 | 2,716 |
| 1950 | 2,835 |
| 1949 | 2,938 |
| 1948 | 3,234 |
| 1947 | 3,347 |
| 1946 | 3,471 |
| 1945 | 3,172 |
| 1944 | 3,409 |
| 1943 | 3,740 |
| 1942 | 3,717 |
| 1941 | 3,524 |
| 1940 | 3,311 |
| 1939 | 3,388 |
| 1938 | 3,491 |
| 1937 | 3,555 |
| 1936 | 3,644 |
| 1935 | 3,918 |
| 1934 | 3,774 |
| 1933 | 3,357 |
| 1932 | 3,677 |
| 1931 | 3,648 |
| 1930 | 3,804 |
| 1929 | 3,818 |
| 1928 | 3,871 |
| 1927 | 3,912 |
| 1926 | 3,808 |
| 1925 | 3,884 |
| 1924 | 3,922 |
| 1923 | 3,686 |
| 1922 | 3,671 |
| 1921 | 3,749 |
| 1920 | 3,549 |
| 1919 | 3,422 |
| 1918 | 3,422 |
| 1917 | 2,951 |
| 1916 | 2,699 |
| 1915 | 2,450 |
| 1914 | 2,004 |
| 1913 | 1,582 |
| 1912 | 1,306 |
| 1911 | 706 |
| 1910 | 733 |
| 1909 | 568 |
| 1908 | 523 |
| 1907 | 550 |
| 1906 | 420 |
| 1905 | 441 |
| 1904 | 401 |
| 1903 | 340 |
| 1902 | 370 |
| 1901 | 268 |
| 1900 | 419 |
| 1899 | 269 |
| 1898 | 315 |
| 1897 | 291 |
| 1896 | 278 |
| 1895 | 249 |
| 1894 | 239 |
| 1893 | 244 |
| 1892 | 233 |
| 1891 | 190 |
| 1890 | 236 |
| 1889 | 186 |
| 1888 | 192 |
| 1887 | 177 |
| 1886 | 155 |
| 1885 | 162 |
| 1884 | 154 |
| 1883 | 143 |
| 1882 | 152 |
| 1881 | 129 |
| 1880 | 124 |