Roy
How to say it: ROY · /rɔɪ/
Red; from Scottish Gaelic 'ruadh' (red), or from Old French 'roi' (king).
Roy was the 517th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 570 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1890s, its births are up about 7% in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #479 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #517 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 570 |
| Share of births | 1 in 5,816 |
| Peak decade | 1890s |
| Change over 10 years | +7% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #479 |
| In France, 2025 | #1,000 among boys’ names, 25 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Long past its height in the 1890s, Roy continues in solid use far below that early level. An uptick appears on the horizon.
What goes with it
A brief resonant sound with soft warmth, Roy carries a regal theme. Harry echoes its straightforward charm.
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Roy is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Norwegian, Swedish.
In France: #1,000 for boys in 2025.
Famous people named Roy
- Roy Keane (born 1971)Irish football manager
- Roy Hodgson (born 1947)English football manager
- Roy J. Glauber (1925–2018)American theoretical physicist
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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