Roy Boy

Popularity: #469 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: ROY /rɔɪ/

Origin: Old French; Latin

Meaning: Old French: king; Latin: red-haired

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Roy has its roots in the Old French word "roi," which translates to "king." This term itself derives from the Latin "rex," meaning "king," which can be traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root *reg-, meaning "to rule." The transition from Latin to Old French occurred during the medieval period, particularly as the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century brought many French words into the English language. As a result, the name Roy entered English usage, embodying the connotations of nobility and leadership associated with its royal origins.

Historically, the name Roy has been borne by various notable figures, including medieval nobility and saints. One significant milestone is its association with the Scottish royal family, where it was used as a title for kings, particularly in the context of Scottish Gaelic culture.

The name also appears in literature and historical texts, reinforcing its regal implications. The use of Roy in English literature can be traced back to the 19th century, where it was employed by authors to evoke themes of honor and valor, often linked to chivalric ideals.

Culturally, the name Roy has resonated with themes of leadership and authority, making it a symbol of strength and dignity. In various traditions, the name has been associated with valorous knights and heroic figures, further solidifying its noble connotations.

Additionally, diminutive forms such as "Royce" have emerged, though they are less common. Overall, the name Roy encapsulates a rich historical and cultural significance, reflecting its royal lineage and enduring legacy.

Famous people named Roy

In this section, you will find notable people named Roy. 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 Roy who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Roy 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.

Roy Orbison is a singer-songwriter best known for Oh, Pretty Woman, Crying, and Only the Lonely.

Roy Scheider is an actor best known for Jaws, The French Connection, and All That Jazz.

Roy Hodgson is a football manager best known for managing the England national team, Liverpool, and Fulham.

Roy Rogers is a singer and actor best known for his roles in western films and the television series The Roy Rogers Show.

Roy Acuff is a country music singer and fiddler best known for Great Speckled Bird, Wabash Cannonball, and being a Grand Ole Opry star.

Roy Thomas is a comic book writer best known for co-creating characters such as Wolverine and the Avengers in Marvel Comics.

Roy Williams is a basketball coach best known for his time at the University of North Carolina and winning multiple NCAA championships.

Roy Lichtenstein is an artist best known for his pop art works such as Drowning Girl and Whaam!

Roy Jones Jr. is a professional boxer best known for being a world champion in multiple weight classes and his boxing career achievements.

Roy Dotrice is an actor best known for his role in Amadeus and as the narrator of the A Song of Ice and Fire audiobooks.

Fictional characters named Roy

The following list of fictional characters named Roy 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.

Roy Mustang is a fictional character from the manga and anime series Fullmetal Alchemist. He is a skilled alchemist and the leader of the Amestrian military's Special Operations, known for his ambition and strong sense of justice.

Roy Harper is a fictional character from DC Comics. He is a skilled archer and former sidekick to Green Arrow, known for his struggles with addiction and his journey towards redemption.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Roy, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

RayRoryRoyceRonanReedReese

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Roy. 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.

RoryRonanRoyceReidRyderRylanRoccoRufus

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Roy was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Roy has ranked as high as #96 nationally, which occurred in 1947, and has been most popular in Texas, California, New York, Illinois, and North Carolina.

In the past 5 years the name Roy has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Roy 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 Roy was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

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 Roy.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 570 570 0
2024 553 553 0
2023 526 526 0
2022 514 509 5
2021 521 521 0
2020 487 487 0
2019 494 494 0
2018 520 520 0
2017 531 531 0
2016 539 539 0
2015 541 534 7
2014 525 525 0
2013 508 508 0
2012 466 466 0
2011 443 443 0
2010 457 457 0
2009 473 473 0
2008 552 552 0
2007 536 536 0
2006 599 599 0
2005 531 531 0
2004 543 543 0
2003 570 570 0
2002 566 566 0
2001 573 573 0
2000 638 638 0
1999 638 638 0
1998 655 655 0
1997 749 749 0
1996 719 719 0
1995 732 732 0
1994 863 863 0
1993 897 897 0
1992 992 992 0
1991 1,129 1,129 0
1990 1,227 1,227 0
1989 1,269 1,258 11
1988 1,175 1,164 11
1987 1,280 1,263 17
1986 1,293 1,283 10
1985 1,396 1,379 17
1984 1,401 1,383 18
1983 1,472 1,456 16
1982 1,628 1,617 11
1981 1,740 1,726 14
1980 1,801 1,779 22
1979 1,769 1,753 16
1978 1,812 1,795 17
1977 1,939 1,913 26
1976 1,885 1,871 14
1975 2,136 2,121 15
1974 2,205 2,187 18
1973 2,252 2,236 16
1972 2,492 2,476 16
1971 2,978 2,960 18
1970 3,056 3,041 15
1969 3,021 3,001 20
1968 3,207 3,177 30
1967 3,303 3,276 27
1966 3,545 3,522 23
1965 3,803 3,785 18
1964 4,180 4,149 31
1963 4,463 4,440 23
1962 4,505 4,476 29
1961 4,995 4,966 29
1960 5,286 5,255 31
1959 5,218 5,183 35
1958 5,555 5,525 30
1957 6,096 6,063 33
1956 6,155 6,133 22
1955 6,378 6,331 47
1954 6,547 6,513 34
1953 6,687 6,655 32
1952 6,556 6,524 32
1951 6,504 6,466 38
1950 6,486 6,454 32
1949 6,651 6,622 29
1948 7,095 7,067 28
1947 7,592 7,560 32
1946 6,962 6,925 37
1945 6,209 6,183 26
1944 6,569 6,533 36
1943 6,983 6,932 51
1942 6,356 6,311 45
1941 5,988 5,950 38
1940 5,602 5,565 37
1939 5,183 5,156 27
1938 5,064 5,041 23
1937 4,920 4,890 30
1936 4,846 4,815 31
1935 4,967 4,939 28
1934 5,145 5,104 41
1933 4,955 4,906 49
1932 5,274 5,238 36
1931 5,549 5,489 60
1930 5,973 5,917 56
1929 5,879 5,812 67
1928 6,278 6,229 49
1927 6,456 6,387 69
1926 6,277 6,224 53
1925 6,429 6,376 53
1924 6,603 6,557 46
1923 6,367 6,316 51
1922 6,519 6,458 61
1921 6,594 6,545 49
1920 6,401 6,355 46
1919 6,014 5,970 44
1918 6,255 6,211 44
1917 5,624 5,586 38
1916 5,364 5,327 37
1915 5,095 5,052 43
1914 3,873 3,852 21
1913 3,107 3,090 17
1912 2,609 2,591 18
1911 1,412 1,394 18
1910 1,276 1,267 9
1909 1,143 1,135 8
1908 1,104 1,097 7
1907 1,141 1,128 13
1906 1,033 1,024 9
1905 1,025 1,016 9
1904 1,135 1,123 12
1903 975 975 0
1902 1,012 1,002 10
1901 925 917 8
1900 1,221 1,215 6
1899 919 912 7
1898 1,059 1,049 10
1897 1,008 999 9
1896 1,027 1,027 0
1895 1,038 1,028 10
1894 1,029 1,018 11
1893 925 919 6
1892 1,053 1,048 5
1891 849 838 11
1890 952 941 11
1889 894 888 6
1888 865 856 9
1887 733 726 7
1886 772 767 5
1885 696 691 5
1884 680 680 0
1883 556 556 0
1882 521 521 0
1881 440 440 0
1880 440 440 0

Top States for Roy (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 70
14%
TX 58
11%
FL 31
6%
NY 31
6%
PA 25
5%
NC 21
4%
GA 19
4%
WA 16
3%
SC 15
3%
AZ 15
3%
UT 15
3%
NJ 14
3%
VA 14
3%
MN 14
3%
MI 13
3%
WI 12
2%
AL 11
2%
IL 11
2%
TN 11
2%
OH 10
2%
CO 9
2%
MT 9
2%
IN 9
2%
MO 9
2%
AR 7
1%
LA 7
1%
OR 7
1%
KY 6
1%
NE 6
1%
NV 6
1%
IA 6
1%
ID 5
1%
MS 5
1%