Roy

Roy is a male first name that derives from an English-Scottish spelling of the medieval name Ruadh, which has Irish-Scottish origins. The name is metaphorically interpreted as 'the red-haired one' or 'the red'.

What does the name Roy mean?

The name Roy is an English-Scottish variant of the medieval Irish-Scottish name Ruadh. Translated, it means 'the red-haired one' or 'the red'. The roots of the name can be found in Old Irish rúad and in Celtic *roudos, meaning 'red' or 'red-haired'. In French, however, Roy is translated as 'the king' or 'royal', derived from the word roi. From Hebrew, the name traces back to the meaning 'the shepherd', derived from the term roe (רועה). The name was adopted from English in the 20th century, and an alternative spelling is Roi.

Where does the name Roy come from?

The origin of the name Roy lies in Old Irish and Celtic, which gives it the meaning 'the red-haired one'. The word roots are: Old Irish rúad and Celtic *roudos for 'red' and 'red-haired', French roi for 'king' or 'royal', and the Hebrew roe (רועה) for 'shepherd'. The name is common in English, Dutch, and Scottish languages.

How do you pronounce Roy?

The pronunciation of the name Roy is monosyllabic and has a distinctive sound. In German, it is typically pronounced as 'Roi' [ʁɔɪ̯], with a gliding diphthong providing a certain dynamism. The rolled or aspirated 'r' gives the name a special depth. Due to its brevity, Roy exudes confidence and directness. Overall, the name sounds modern, international, concise, lively, and clear.

When is the name day of Roy?

The name day for Roy is celebrated on January 7 and August 31.

Popularity

In Germany, Roy is among the popular first names. The name currently ranks 990th on the list of the most common male first names. Its best placement was in 1970, when it reached 182nd place. In the last ten years, Roy has been given as a first name about 340 times, placing it at 1,116th in the ten-year statistics. Between 2010 and 2024, it ranks 1,239th.

Nicknames & pet names

Boy / Oy / Rollsroys / Royal / Royalität / Royber / Roybi / Royboy / Roybär / Roychen / Roydig / Royerle / Royichen / Royilein / Roylade / Royle / Royli / Roypi / Royschi

Similar first names

Famous people

• Aditya Roy Kapur (Indian actor)
• Glen Roy Loftus (Australian rower)
• Lee Roy Caffey (American football player)
• Roy (in games) (French term for the king in chess or card games)
• Roy A. Clouser (American philosopher)
• Roy Ambler (English football player)
• Roy Bicknell (British football manager)
• Roy Black (singer)
• Roy Bridges (English historian)
• Roy C (American singer)
• Roy Charles Winston (American football player)
• Roy Clayton (English football player)
• Roy Earle (character from the video game 'L.A. Noire')
• Roy Ernest Hay (guitarist of the band 'Culture Club')
• Roy Ferencina (footballer from the USA)
• Roy Golden (American baseball player)
• Roy Haggerty (American rugby player)
• Roy Hartzell (American baseball player)
• Roy Hodgson (English football manager)
• Roy Hogsed (musician from America)