Roy
Roy: name meaning, origin and popularity
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈɹoɪ̯/ · [ˈɹʷoɪ̯]
Meaning and origin of Roy
Root meaning: “king”
- A male given name from Scottish Gaelic.
Etymology
From various sources: * Anglo-Norman roy (“king”) a variant of Old French roi, from Latin rēx, rēgem from Proto-Indo-European *h₃rḗǵs (“ruler, king”). Doublet of Rey. * Scottish Gaelic ruadh (“red, red-haired”) from Old Irish rúad, from Proto-Celtic *roudos from Proto-Indo-European *h₁rewdʰ-. * Anglicisation of Bengali রায় (raẏ, surname). Doublet of Rai, rex, and rajah.
How popular is Roy?
Since 1880, 2,693 girls and 408,638 boys in the U.S. have been named Roy (1% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #866 in 1890. Its highest rank for boys was #18 in 1889. In 2025 it ranked #525 for boys, with 570 babies given the name.
Names similar to Roy
Names that start with the same letters, most popular first.
More Scottish boy names
Sibling name ideas for Roy
Sister and brother names that share Roy's Scottish roots and are still in the U.S. top 1,000.
Roy FAQ
What does the name Roy mean?
Roy traces back to a root meaning "king". A male given name from Scottish Gaelic. From various sources: * Anglo-Norman roy (“king”) a variant of Old French roi, from Latin rēx, rēgem from Proto-Indo-European *h₃rḗǵs (“ruler, king”). Doublet of Rey. * Scottish Gaelic ruadh (“red, red-haired”) from Old Irish rúad, from Proto-Celtic *roudos from Proto-Indo-European *h₁rewdʰ-. * Anglicisation of Bengali রায় (raẏ, surname). Doublet of Rai, rex, and rajah.
What is the origin of the name Roy?
Roy is listed as a name of Scottish origin.
How popular is the name Roy?
Since 1880, 2,693 girls and 408,638 boys in the U.S. have been named Roy (1% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #866 in 1890. Its highest rank for boys was #18 in 1889. In 2025 it ranked #525 for boys, with 570 babies given the name.
Is Roy a boy or girl name?
Roy is mostly a boy name in the U.S.: 2,693 girls and 408,638 boys since 1880.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2025 (names given to 5+ babies per year). Origin and etymology text: Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.