Boyd is a Scottish surname, usually explained as coming from the Gaelic buidhe and meaning "yellow" or "fair-haired", though some trace it to the Isle of Bute. It was a solid American first name in the first half of the 20th century and now sits among the vintage one-syllable choices like Floyd and Lloyd. Boyd ranked number 2336 in 2000, peaked at number 1422 in 2017 and stands at number 1959 in 2025.