Roy
Meaning: Its source is Ruadh, an Irish Gaelic name meaning "Red."
Origin: "Ruadh."
Languages: This boy's name is used in Dutch and English.
Source Forms: Ruadh
Popularity: The name Roy ranked 414th in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics and 65th in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.
This name is highly rated in the 1990 U.S. Census popularity survey of all ages, but after 1960 does not appear in the state data listing the most popular baby names.
Narrative: This name also developed independently as a form of the Old French term roi, meaning ''king.''
Arts and Music
- Roy Acuff (born 1903, died 1992)
American musician and songwriter.
- Country Music Hall of Fame (see list of Country Music Hall of Fame)
- Roy Byrd
- Professor Longhair (see list of Nicknames of Musicians)
- Roy Clark (born 1933)
American singer and songwriter. Longtime co-host of TV's ''Hee Haw.''
- Winner of seven Country Music Association awards, in 1970, 1973, 1975, 1978 and 1980 (see list of Country Music Association Award Winners)
- Roy Crane (born 1901, died 1977)
American cartoonist.
- Captain Easy; Buz Sawyer (see list of Cartoonists)
- Roy Eldridge (born 1911, died 1989)
American jazz musician.
- Trumpeter and drummer (see list of Critics' Picks for the Jazz Hall of Fame)
- Roy Harris (born 1898, died 1979)
American composer.
- Composed Folk-song Symphony (see list of Composers of the 20th Century)
- Roy Horton
- Country Music Hall of Fame (see list of Country Music Hall of Fame)
- Roy Lichtenstein (born 1923, died 1997)
American Pop artist.
- Painted Whaam (see list of 20th-century Contemporary Artists)
- Roy Orbison (born 1936, died 1988)
American singer, guitarist and songwriter.
- Member of the Playboy Music Hall of Fame (see list of Playboy Music Hall of Fame)
- 1990 Grammy winner for best male vocal performance, for ''''Oh, Pretty Woman'''' (see list of Grammy winners for Best Vocal Performance)
- Musical guest on ''''Saturday Night Live'''' (see list of Musical Guests on ''Saturday Night Live'')
- Wrote ''''Only the Lonely'''' and ''''Crying'''' (see list of Songwriters)
- Roy Rogers (born 1912, died 1998)
American singer and actor. Original name: Leonard Slye.
- Country Music Hall of Fame (see list of Country Music Hall of Fame)
Miscellaneous
- Roy Wilkins (born 1901, died 1981)
American civil-rights leader.
- 1969 recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom (see list of Presidential Medal of Freedom Winners)
- 1964 Spingarn Medal winner (see list of Spingarn Medal Winners)
Science and Philosophy
- Roy D. Bridges, Jr.
NASA astronaut.
- Astronaut on Challenger (1985) (see list of Spaceflight Veterans)
- A. Roy Knabenshue
Dirigible pilot.
- Member of the National Aviation Hall of Fame (see list of National Aviation Hall of Fame)
- Roy J. Plunkett (born 1910)
American chemist.
- Developed TPFE, more commonly known as Teflon (see list of Chemists)
Sports
- Roy Buckley
- Member of the Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Fame (see list of Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Fame)
- Roy Campanella
Baseball player.
- 1951, 1953, 1955 National League Most Valuable Player (see list of National League Most Valuable Players)
- Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969 (see list of Members of the Baseball Hall of Fame)
- Roy Cochran
American athlete.
- 1948 Olympic track and field gold medal winner for 400m Hurdles (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in Hurdles)
- Roy Emerson
- 1961, 1964 U.S. Open tennis champion (see list of U.S. Open Tennis Champions)
- 1964-65 Wimbledon tennis champion (see list of Wimbledon Tennis Champions)
- 1963, 1967 French Open tennis champion (see list of French Open Tennis Champions)
- 1961, 1963-67 Australian Open tennis champion (see list of Australian Open Tennis Champions)
- Roy Sievers
Baseball player.
- 1949 American League Rookie of the Year (see list of American League Rookies of the Year)
- Roy Worters
Hockey player.
- 1931 Vezina Trophy winner (see list of Vezina Trophy Winners)
Stage and Screen
- Roy Acuff (born 1903, died 1992)
American musician and songwriter.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording (see list of Recording Personalites with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- 1991 Kennedy Center Honors recipient (see list of Kennedy Center Honors Recipients)
- Roy Clark (born 1933)
American singer and songwriter. Longtime co-host of TV's ''Hee Haw.''
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording (see list of Recording Personalites with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Sheriff Roy Coffee
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Ray Teal from 1960-72 (see list of Characters on ''Bonanza'')
- Roy ''The Professor'' Hinkley
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Russell Johnson (see list of Characters on ''Gilligan's Island'')
- Roy Huggins
Writer, director and producer.
- On The Hollywood Blacklist (see list of Blacklisted Hollywood Figures)
- Roy Roberts (born 1900, died 1975)
American actor.
- Portrayed Frank Stephens (see list of Actors on ''Bewitched'')
- Roy Rogers (born 1912, died 1998)
American singer and actor. Original name: Leonard Slye.
- On Hollywood''s Footprints of Fame (see list of Celebrities Honored by Mann's Chinese Theater)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television (see list of Television Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio (see list of Radio Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Roy Del Ruth (born 1895, died 1961)
American movie director.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Mayor Roy Stoner
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Parley Baer (see list of Characters on ''The Andy Griffith Show'')
- Roy Williams
- 1950s Mouseketeer (see list of 1950s Mickey Mouse Club)
The Literary World
- Roy Gutman
- 1993 Pulitzer Prize winner for International Reporting (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting)
- Roy F. Nichols
- 1949 Pulitzer Prize winner for History, for The Disruption of American Democracy (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for History)
Teasing Nicknames:
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Rolls Royce
In reference to a model of luxury car.
- Royster
- Roy Boy
- Roo ah
- Roy Rogers
- Roy Toy
- Royal Cola
Associations:
''Roy'' is Australian slang for a dandy--a wealthy, idle, overly fashionable man.
Meaning: Its source is Ruadh, a Gaelic name meaning "Red."
Origin: "Ruadh."
Nickname For: Royal
Popularity: The name Roy ranked 3770th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.
Though this name appears on the 1990 U.S. Census lists, it is used by only a small percentage of the general population.
This name is usually reserved for boys. In part, it could owe its position on the US Census popularity list to incorrectly filled-out census forms.
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