Roy comes from the Scottish Gaelic ruadh and means "red", a nickname for a red-haired man, as in the outlaw Rob Roy; it was later understood through the French roi, "king", which added a regal touch. Roy Rogers, the singing cowboy, and Roy Orbison made it an American classic of the mid-20th century. Roy was number 400 in 2000 and has stayed remarkably steady since, ranking number 525 in 2025.