Royce is an English surname that goes back to the medieval given name Royse, a form of Rose, so its root meaning is "rose"; the sound has long since taken on the ring of royalty and of Rolls-Royce luxury, which is a big part of its appeal today. Royce entered the US top 1000 in 2005, peaked at number 392 in 2019 and ranks number 500 in 2025.