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The short answer
Roy is a masculine name used in Scottish and English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "Anglicized form of Ruadh. A notable bearer was the Scottish outlaw and folk hero Rob Roy (1671-1734)." It ranked #525 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, anglicized form of Ruadh. A notable bearer was the Scottish outlaw and folk hero Rob Roy (1671-1734). The entry lists its usage as Scottish, English, Dutch.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Roy ranked #525 for boys in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #525 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (Scottish) and that sit near Roy in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Roy mean?
Behind the Name does not give Roy a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: anglicized form of Ruadh.
Is Roy a popular name?
Roy ranked #525 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Roy a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Roy appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Roy — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
