Roy is a masculine given name and a family surname with varied origin. In Anglo-Norman England, the name derived from the Norman ''roy'', meaning "king", while its Old French cognate, ''rey'' or ''roy'' (modern ''roi''), likewise gave rise to Roy as a variant in the

Francophone French became an international language in the Middle Ages, when the power of the Kingdom of France made it the second international language, alongside Latin. This status continued to grow into the 18th century, by which time French was the l ...

world. In India, Roy is a variant of the surname '' Rai'',. likewise meaning "king".. It also arose independently in Scotland, an

anglicisation Anglicisation is the process by which a place or person becomes influenced by English culture or British culture, or a process of cultural and/or linguistic change in which something non-English becomes English. It can also refer to the influen ...

from the Scottish Gaelic nickname ''ruadh'', meaning "red".

Given name

Roy Acuff Roy Claxton Acuff (September 15, 1903 – November 23, 1992) was an American country music singer, fiddler, and promoter. Known as the "King of Country Music", Acuff is often credited with moving the genre from its early string band and "hoedown ...

(1903–1992), American country music singer and fiddler * Roy Andersen (born 1955), runner * Roy Andersen (South Africa) (born 1948), South African businessman and military officer * Roy Anderson (American football) (born 1980), American football coach * Sir

Roy M. Anderson Sir Roy Malcolm Anderson (born 12 April 1947) is a leading international authority on the epidemiology and control of infectious diseases. He is the author, with Robert May, of the most highly cited book in this field, entitled '' Infectiou ...

(born 1947), British scientific adviser *

Roy Andersson Roy Arne Lennart Andersson (born 31 March 1943) is a Swedish film director, best known for ''A Swedish Love Story'' (1970), '' About Endlessness'' (2019) and his "Living trilogy," which includes '' Songs from the Second Floor'' (2000), '' You, ...

(born 1943), Swedish film director *

Roy Andersson (footballer) Bror Roy Andersson (born 2 August 1949) is a Swedish former footballer who played as a defender. He won 20 caps for the Sweden national team, and played three matches at the 1978 FIFA World Cup. He was a strong central defender for Malmö FF ...

(born 1949), footballer from Sweden * Roy Chapman Andrews (1884–1960), American naturalist and explorer * Roy Ascott (born 1934), British artist and theorist * Roy Black (singer) (1943–1991), German singer and actor *

Roy Blount Jr. Roy Alton Blount Jr. (; born October 4, 1941) is an American writer, speaker, reporter, and humorist. Life and career Blount was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, and grew up in Decatur, Georgia. He attended Ponce de Leon Elementary School and g ...

(born 1941), American writer, speaker, reporter and humorist * Roy Blunt (born 1950), United States Senator and former congressman * Roy Bucher (1895-1980), British-Indian soldier and Commander-in-Chief * Roy C (1939–2020), American soul and R&B singer and songwriter * Roy Campanella (1921–1993), American Hall of Fame baseball catcher *

Roy Campanella II Roy Campanella II (born June 20, 1948) is a television director and producer. Biography Born Roy Campanella II, he is the son of professional baseball great Roy Campanella. After directing some short films, the younger Campanella began direc ...

(born 1948), television director and producer, son of the above * Roy Castle (1932–1994), English dancer, singer, musician, comedian, actor, television presenter and musician *

Roy Cimatu Roy Agullana Cimatu (, born July 4, 1946) is a retired Philippine Army general who served as the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources from 2017 to 2022 in the Cabinet of President Rodrigo Duterte. He previously served as the Chief of ...

(born 1946), Filipino government administrator and retired army general *

Roy Clark Roy Linwood Clark (April 15, 1933 – November 15, 2018) was an American singer and musician. He is best known for having hosted ''Hee Haw'', a nationally televised country variety show, from 1969 to 1997. Clark was an important and influen ...

(1933–2018), American country music singer and musician * Roy Clarke (born 1930), English comedy writer *

Roy Christian Fletcher Roy Christian (born 10 October 1943) is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s. A , he captained New Zealand national rugby league team, New Zealand in the sport. Christian also capt ...

(born 1943), New Zealand rugby league footballer *

Roy Cohn Roy Marcus Cohn (; February 20, 1927 – August 2, 1986) was an American lawyer and prosecutor who came to prominence for his role as Senator Joseph McCarthy's chief counsel during the Army–McCarthy hearings in 1954, when he assisted McCarth ...

(1927–1986), American lawyer best known as Senator Joseph McCarthy's counsel from 1953 to 1954 * Roy Cooper (born 1957), American politician and governor of North Carolina *

Roy DeMeo Roy Albert DeMeo (; September 7, 1940 – January 10, 1983) was an Italian-American mobster in the Gambino crime family of New York City. He headed a group referred to as the "DeMeo crew", which became notorious for the large number of murders ...

(1940–1983), Italian-American mobster * Roy de Silva (1937–2018), Sri Lankan Sinhala actor and director * Roy E. Disney (1930–2009), American businessman * Roy O. Disney (1893–1971), American businessman * Roy Dobbin (1873-1939), founding member of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists *

Roy Drusky Roy Frank Drusky, Jr. (June 22, 1930 – September 23, 2004) was an American country music singer, songwriter, producer, actor and disc jockey popular from the 1960s through the early 1970s. Known for his baritone voice, he was known for incor ...

(1930–2004), American country music singer and songwriter * Roy Face (born 1928), often referred to as "Elroy Face", American baseball relief pitcher *

Roy Firestone Roy Firestone (born December 8, 1953) is an American sports commentator and journalist. Firestone is a graduate of Miami Beach High School and the University of Miami. Television career Firestone began his career as a sports anchor and rep ...

(born 1953), American sports talk show host * Roy Foster (baseball) (1945–2008), American baseball player * Roy Gagnon (1913–2000), American football player *

Roy J. Glauber Roy Jay Glauber (September 1, 1925 – December 26, 2018) was an American theoretical physicist. He was the Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics at Harvard University and Adjunct Professor of Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona. Born ...

(1925–2018), American physicist and 2005 Nobel prize winner * Roy M. Goodman (1930–2014), New York state senator * Roy Halladay (1977–2017), American baseball pitcher * Roy Halliday (1923–2007), British vice-admiral * Roy Halston Frowick (1932–1990), better known as Halston, clothing designer * Roy Hamilton (1929–1969), American singer * Roy Hamilton (basketball) (born 1957), American basketball player and sports television producer * Roy Hargrove (1969–2018), American jazz trumpeter * Roy Harper (disambiguation) * Roy Harris (disambiguation) * Roy Harrison (born 1939), Irish former cricketer * Roy M. Harrison (born 1948), environmental chemist * Roy Hartsfield (1925–2011), American Major League Baseball player and manager * Roy Hattersley (born 1932), British politician, author and journalist * Roy Head (1941–2020), American country music, rockabilly, and R&B singer * Roy Hibbert (born 1986), Jamaican-American retired basketball player * Roy Hodgson (born 1947), English former football player and current manager * Roy Horn (born Uwe Ludwig Horn, 1944-2020), half of the Las Vegas show team Siegfried & Roy * Roy Howell (born 1953), American former Major League baseball player * Roy Lee Jackson (born 1954), American former Major League Baseball pitcher * Roy Douglas Jayetileke, Sri Lankan Sinhala army officer * Roy Jenkins (1920–2003), Welsh politician and author * Roy Johnson (pitcher) (1895–1986), baseball pitcher, manager and longtime coach * Roy Jones Jr. (born 1969), professional boxer * Roy Keane (born 1971), Irish former football player and current manager * Roy Khan (born 1970), former singer of power metal band Kamelot * Roy Kim (born 1993), born Kim Sang-woo, South Korean singer-songwriter * Roy Kinnear (1934–1988), English actor * Roy Lechthaler (1908–1980), American football player * Roy Li, Roy Li Fey Huei (born 1965), Singaporean musician * Roy Lichtenstein (1923–1997), American pop artist * Roy Lopez (American football) (born 1997), American football player * Roy Makaay (born 1975), Dutch footballer and current manager * Roy Masters (commentator) (born 1928), American talk radio personality, podcaster and spiritual counselor * Roy McMillan (1929–1997), American baseball player * Roy Morris (–2011), British Scout Leader, recipient of the Silver Wolf Award * Roy Moore (born 1947), American politician and former state judge * Roy Nachum (born 1979), Israeli contemporary artist * Roy Nelson (disambiguation), multiple people * Roy Niederhoffer (born 1966), American hedge fund manager and philanthropist * Roy Nissany (born 1994), Israeli racing driver * Roy Olmstead (1886-1966), American policeman, then bootlegger * Roy Orbison (1936–1988), American singer-songwriter * Roy Oxlade (1929–2014), English painter and writer on art * Roy Pinney (1911–2010), herpetologist, professional photographer, writer, spelunker, pilot and war correspondent * Roy Rogers (1911–1998), American singing movie cowboy * Roy Rosselló (born 1970), former member of Puerto Rican Boyband Menudo from 1983–1986. * Roy Sanders (Louisiana politician) (1904–1976), American educator and Louisiana state legislator * Roy Scheider (1932–2008), film actor * Roy Schwartz Tichon, Social entrepreneur promoting public transportation on Saturday in Israel * Roy Schwitters (born 1944), American physicist * Roy D. Shapiro, Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School * Roy Shepherd (born 1931), British ice hockey player * Roy Shepherd (pianist) (1907–1986), Australian pianist and teacher * Roy Sievers (1926–2017), American baseball player * Roy Smalley Jr. (1926–2011), American baseball player, father of Roy Smalley III * Roy Smalley III (born 1952), American baseball player, son of Roy Smalley Jr. * Roy Staiger (born 1950), baseball player in the late 1970s * Roy Sullivan (1912–1983), American park ranger * Roy Thomas (pitcher) (born 1953), American baseball player * Roy Underhill (born 1950), host of the PBS series ''The Woodwright's Shop'' * Roy Webb (1888–1982), gospel music pianist and speaker * Roy White (born 1943), American all-star baseball player * Roy Williams (basketball coach) (born 1950), American college basketball coach * Roy Williamson (1936–1990), Scottish folk singer * Roy Wilkins (1901–1981), civil rights activist * Roy Wood (born 1946), English singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist

Surname

* Anupam Roy (born 1982), Indian singer and music director * Ajoy Roy (1935–2019), Bangladeshi physicist and human rights activist * Anuradha Roy (novelist) (born 1967), Indian Bengali novelist and journalist * Aruna Roy (born 1946), Indian Tamil social activist * Arundhati Roy (born 1961), Indian Keralite novelist and political activist * Avik Roy, American political commentator * Bidhan Chandra Roy (1882–1962), Indian Bengali politician * Bikash Roy (1916–1987), Indian Bengali actor * Bimal Roy (1909–1966), Indian Bengali film director * Brandon Roy (born 1984), American basketball player * Bravvion Roy (born 1996), American football player * Bryan Roy (born 1970), Dutch football (soccer) player and current manager * Bunker Roy (born 1945), Indian Bengali social activist * Claude Roy (physician) (born 1928), Canadian physician * Claude Roy (poet) (1915–1997), French poet and essayist * Claude Roy (politician) (born 1952), Canadian politician * Craig Roy (born 1977), Australian sailor (RAN), RDA comedian of the year 2019, 2020, 2021 * Death of Conrad Roy, Conrad Roy (1995–2014), American marine salvage captain whose suicide resulted in the manslaughter conviction of his girlfriend * Debashree Roy (born 1961), Indian Bengali actress * Deep Roy (born 1957), Kenyan-born Indian actor * Derek Roy (born 1983), Canadian ice hockey player * Derek Roy (comedian) (1922–1981), English comedian * Dolon Roy (born 1970), Indian Bengali actress * Drew Roy (born 1986), American actor * Eric Roy (footballer) (born 1967), French footballer * Eric Roy (politician) (born 1948), New Zealand politician * Fabien Roy (born 1928), Canadian politician * Falguni Roy (1945–1981), Indian Bengali poet * Gabrielle Roy (1909–1983), Canadian author * Helen Roy (born 1969), British ecologist, entomologist and academic * Indra Lal Roy (1898–1918), Indian Bengali First World War flying ace * Jahor Roy (1919–1977), Indian Bengali actor and comedian * James Roy (politician) (1893–1971), New Zealand politician * James Roy (writer) (born 1968), Australian writer * James A. Roy (born 1964), US Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force * Jason Roy (born 1990), English cricketer * Jeffrey Roy (born 1961), American politician and lawyer * Jean Sebastien Roy, Canadian motocross rider who enjoyed success in the 2000s * Jean-Yves Roy (born 1949), Canadian politician * Juthika Roy (1920–2014), Indian Bengali singer * Kalidas Roy (1889–1975), Indian Bengali poet * Kanu Roy (1912–1981), Indian Bengali film actor, and music composer * Leela Roy (1900–1970), Indian Bengali independence activist and social reformer * Leo Roy (1904–1955), American/Canadian boxer * M. N. Roy (1887–1954), Indian Bengali philosopher and revolutionary * Mathieu Roy (ice hockey, born 1983), Canadian ice hockey player * Mathieu Roy (ice hockey, born 1986), Canadian ice hockey player * Matt Roy (ice hockey), Matt Roy (born 1995), American ice hockey player * Mouni Roy (born 1985), Indian actress * Nirmal Roy (born 1996), Pakistani singer * Nirupa Roy (1931–2004), Indian Gujarati actress * Patrick Roy (born 1965), Canadian ice hockey head coach and former goaltender * Peter Roy (1828-1881), American farmer and politician * Prannoy Roy (born 1949), Indian Bengali journalist and media personality * Prasanna Kumar Roy (1849–1932), Indian Bengali educationist * Rachel Roy (born 1974), American fashion designer * Ram Mohan Roy (1772–1833), Indian Bengali religious, social and educational reformer * Rahul Roy (born 1966), Indian film actor * Rohit Roy (born 1968), Indian actor * Ronit Roy (born 1965), Indian actor * Sarat Chandra Roy (1871–1942), Indian Bengali anthropologist * Satabdi Roy (born 1968), Indian Bengali actress * Shasanka Mohan Roy (born 1941), Indian quantum physicist * Shehzad Roy (born 1979), Pakistani pop singer and social worker * Subrata Roy (born 1948), Indian Bengali businessman * Subimal Chandra Roy (1912–1971), Indian Bengali jurist * Subodh Roy (1916–2006), Indian Bengali independence activist * Sylvie Roy (1964–2016), Canadian politician * Tarapada Roy (1936–2007), Indian Bengali author * William Roy (1726–1790), Scottish surveyor

Fictional characters

* Esme & Roy's eponymous monster * Kiriti Roy, a Bengali fictional detective created by Nihar Ranjan Gupta * Philly Boy Roy, from the radio show and podcast ''The Best Show with Tom Scharpling'' * Roy (Fire Emblem), Roy (''Fire Emblem''), from Nintendo's ''Fire Emblem'' and ''Super Smash Bros.'' video game series * Roy (Little Britain), Roy (''Little Britain''), from the British sketch show ''Little Britain'' * Roy, a minor character from the ''Peanuts'' comic strip * Roy Biggins, a major character from ''Wings (1990 TV series)'' * Roy Anderson (The Office), Roy Anderson (''The Office''), from ''The Office'' U.S. TV series * Roy Batty, the leader of the renegade replicants in the film, ''Blade Runner'' * Rainbow Raider, Roy G. Bivolo, DC Comics supervillain known as Rainbow Raider * Roy Carson, from the American movie, ''Final Destination 5'' * Roy Cropper, from the British soap opera, ''Coronation Street'' * Roy Earle, from the game ''L.A. Noire'' * Roy Greenhilt, from the webcomic, ''Order of the Stick'' * Roy Gribbleston, Yellow Guy's father from ''Don't Hug Me I'm Scared'' * Roy Harper (comics), a superhero in the DC Comics universe * Roy Hobbs, protagonist of the Bernard Malamud novel ''The Natural'' and The Natural (film), ''The Natural'' (film) * Roy "Jawjack" Kelton, a character from the 1988 movie ''14 Going on 30#Cast, 14 Going on 30'' * Roy Kent, from the streaming television series ''Ted Lasso'' * Roy Koopa, one of the Koopalings from ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' * Roy Miller, protagonist from the 2010 film ''Green Zone (film)'' * Roy Miller, protagonist from the 2010 film ''Knight and Day'' * Roy Mustang, from the ''Fullmetal Alchemist'' manga series * Roy Neary, protagonist from the film ''Close Encounters of the Third Kind'' played by Richard Dreyfuss * Roy O'Brien, eponymous animated protagonist of the TV series ''Roy (TV series), Roy'' * Roy Race, from the comic strip ''Roy of the Rovers'' * Roy Rooster, in the comic strip ''U.S. Acres'' * Roy Trenneman, from the British sitcom ''The IT Crowd'' * The Roy family, from the American television series Succession (TV series), ''Succession'' * Roy Raskin, one of the main characters in ''The Fairly OddParents: Fairly Odder''

References

{{given name, type=both Norman-language surnames Surnames of Norman origin English-language surnames French-language surnames Scottish masculine given names Indian surnames Bengali Hindu surnames Surnames of French-Canadian origin

Given name

Surname

Fictional characters

See also

References