Roy is a masculine given name and a family surname with varied origin. In

Anglo-Norman Anglo-Norman may refer to: *Anglo-Normans, the medieval ruling class in England following the Norman conquest of 1066 * Anglo-Norman language **Anglo-Norman literature * Anglo-Norman England, or Norman England, the period in English history from 10 ...

England, the name derived from the

Norman Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norm ...

''roy'', meaning "king", while its

Old French Old French (, , ; Modern French: ) was the language spoken in most of the northern half of France from approximately the 8th to the 14th centuries. Rather than a unified language, Old French was a linkage of Romance dialects, mutually intellig ...

cognate, ''rey'' or ''roy'' (modern ''roi''), likewise gave rise to Roy as a variant in the Francophone world. In India, Roy is a variant of the surname ''

Rai RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana (; commercially styled as Rai since 2000; known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane) is the national public broadcasting company of Italy, owned by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. RAI operates many ter ...

'',. likewise meaning "king".. It also arose independently in Scotland, an anglicisation from the

Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well ...

nickname ''ruadh'', meaning "red".

Given name

* Roy Acuff (1903–1992), American country music singer and fiddler *

Roy Andersen Roy Andersen (born 2 April 1955) is a former Norwegian long-distance runner. Internationally he finished tenth at the 1982 European Championships and 38th at the 1986 World Cross Country Championships. He also competed at the 1983 World Champ ...

(born 1955), runner *

Roy Andersen (South Africa) Major General Roy Cecil Andersen (born 12 May 1948 in Johannesburg) is a South African businessman and a retired Reserve general officer in the South African Army from the artillery. He matriculated from Northview High School and graduated fro ...

(born 1948), South African businessman and military officer *

Roy Anderson (American football) Roy Anderson (born October 5, 1980) is an American football coach for the Minnesota Vikings. Coaching career Anderson's career began at Florida A&M where, in 2002, he served as a graduate assistant. In 2003, at LSU under Nick Saban, Anderson w ...

(born 1980), American football coach * Sir Roy M. Anderson (born 1947), British scientific adviser * Roy Andersson (born 1943), Swedish film director * Roy Andersson (footballer) (born 1949), footballer from Sweden *

Roy Chapman Andrews Roy Chapman Andrews (January 26, 1884 – March 11, 1960) was an American explorer, adventurer and naturalist who became the director of the American Museum of Natural History. He led a series of expeditions through the politically disturbed ...

(1884–1960), American naturalist and explorer *

Roy Ascott Roy Ascott FRSA (born 26 October 1934) is a British artist, who works with cybernetics and telematics on an art he calls technoetic by focusing on the impact of digital and telecommunications networks on consciousness. Since the 1960s, Ascott ...

(born 1934), British artist and theorist *

Roy Black (singer) Gerhard Höllerich (25 January 1943 – 9 October 1991), known professionally as Roy Black, was a German schlager singer and actor, who appeared in several musical comedies and starred in the 1989 TV series, '' Ein Schloß am Wörthersee''. Bi ...

(1943–1991), German singer and actor * Roy Blount Jr. (born 1941), American writer, speaker, reporter and humorist *

Roy Blunt Roy Dean Blunt (born January 10, 1950) is an American politician serving as the senior United States senator for Missouri, a seat he was first elected to in 2010. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 33rd Missouri Secr ...

(born 1950), United States Senator and former congressman *

Roy Bucher General Sir Francis Robert Roy Bucher (31 August 1895 – 5 January 1980) was a British soldier who became the second Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army and the final non-Indian to hold the top post of the Indian Army after Partition. Mili ...

(1895-1980), British-Indian soldier and Commander-in-Chief *

Roy C Roy Charles Hammond (August 3, 1939 – September 16, 2020), better known as Roy C or Roy "C", was an American southern soul singer, songwriter and record executive, best known for his 1965 hit, "Shotgun Wedding". Another song, "Impeach the Presi ...

(1939–2020), American soul and R&B singer and songwriter *

Roy Campanella Roy Campanella (November 19, 1921 – June 26, 1993), nicknamed "Campy", was an American baseball player, primarily as a catcher. The Philadelphia native played in the Negro leagues and Mexican League for nine years before entering the minor lea ...

(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 directi ...

(born 1948), television director and producer, son of the above *

Roy Castle Roy Castle (31 August 1932 – 2 September 1994) was an English dancer, singer, comedian, actor, television presenter and musician. In addition to being an accomplished jazz trumpet player, he could play many other instruments. Following a vers ...

(1932–1994), English dancer, singer, musician, comedian, actor, television presenter and musician * Roy Cimatu (born 1946), Filipino government administrator and retired army general * Roy Clark (1933–2018), American country music singer and musician *

Roy Clarke Royston Clarke OBE (born 28 January 1930), usually known as Roy Clarke, is an English comedy writer best known for creating the sitcoms ''Last of the Summer Wine'', ''Keeping Up Appearances'', ''Open All Hours'' and its sequel series, ''Stil ...

(born 1930), English comedy writer * Roy Christian (born 1943), New Zealand rugby league footballer * Roy Cohn (1927–1986), American lawyer best known as Senator Joseph McCarthy's counsel from 1953 to 1954 *

Roy Cooper Roy Asberry Cooper III (born June 13, 1957) is an American attorney and politician, serving as the 75th governor of North Carolina since 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 49th attorney general of North Carolina from 20 ...

(born 1957), American politician and governor of North Carolina * Roy DeMeo (1940–1983), Italian-American mobster *

Roy de Silva Chathurartha Devadithya Gardiyawasam Lindamulage Roy Aloysius Felix de Silva, popularly known as Roy de Silva (රෝයි ද සිල්වා; 30 August 1937 – 30 June 2018), was a Sri Lankan actor and film director in Sri Lankan cinema a ...

(1937–2018), Sri Lankan Sinhala actor and director *

Roy E. Disney Roy Edward Disney KCSG (January 10, 1930 – December 16, 2009) was an American businessman. He was the longtime senior executive for the Walt Disney Company, which was founded by his father, Roy O. Disney, and his uncle, Walt Disney. At the ti ...

(1930–2009), American businessman *

Roy O. Disney Roy Oliver Disney (; June 24, 1893 – December 20, 1971) was an American businessman and co-founder of The Walt Disney Company. He was the older brother of Walt Disney and the father of Roy E. Disney. Biography Early life Disney was bor ...

(1893–1971), American businessman *

Roy Dobbin Roy Samuel Dobbin (22 November 1873 - 10 March 1939) was professor of midwifery and gynaecology at the Royal School of Medicine in Cairo and was obstetric surgeon and gynaecologist to Kasr-el-Aini Hospital. During the First World War he served a ...

(1873-1939), founding member of the

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) is a professional association based in London, United Kingdom. Its members, including people with and without medical degrees, work in the field of obstetrics and gynaecology, that ...

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 Elroy Leon Face (born February 20, 1928), nicknamed The Bullpen Baron, is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. During a 17-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career, he pitched primarily for the Pittsburgh Pirates. A pioneer of ...

(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 repor ...

(born 1953), American sports talk show host *

Roy Foster (baseball) Roy Foster (July 29, 1945 – March 21, 2008) was an American outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Cleveland Indians from to . Born in Bixby, Oklahoma, he batted .268 with 23 home runs and 60 runs batted in as a 1970 rookie, an ...

(1945–2008), American baseball player *

Roy Gagnon Roy Joseph Maurice Gagnon (January 6, 1913 – June 29, 2000) was an American football guard who played one season with the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Oregon The University ...

(1913–2000), American football player * Roy J. Glauber (1925–2018), American physicist and 2005 Nobel prize winner * Roy M. Goodman (1930–2014), New York state senator *

Roy Halladay Harry Leroy "Roy" Halladay III (May 14, 1977 – November 7, 2017) was an American professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies between 1998 and 2013. His nicknam ...

(1977–2017), American baseball pitcher *

Roy Halliday 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 ...

(1923–2007), British vice-admiral * Roy Halston Frowick (1932–1990), better known as

Halston Roy Halston Frowick (April 23, 1932 – March 26, 1990), known mononymously as Halston, was an American fashion designer who rose to international fame in the 1970s. His minimalist, clean designs, often made of cashmere or ultrasuede, were ...

, clothing designer *

Roy Hamilton Roy Hamilton (April 16, 1929 – July 20, 1969) was an American singer. By combining semi-classical technique with traditional black gospel feeling, he brought soul to Great American Songbook singing. Hamilton's greatest commercial success ca ...

(1929–1969), American singer *

Roy Hamilton (basketball) Roy Lee Hamilton (born July 20, 1957) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) who is currently a coordinating producer for Fox Sports Net. He played college basketball at the Uni ...

(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 Roy Thomas Hartsfield (October 25, 1925 – January 15, 2011) was a second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball; his MLB playing and managing careers each lasted three years. Hartsfield played his entire major league career with the Bo ...

(1925–2011), American Major League Baseball player and manager *

Roy Hattersley Roy Sydney George Hattersley, Baron Hattersley, (born 28 December 1932) is a British Labour Party politician, author and journalist from Sheffield. He was MP for Birmingham Sparkbrook for over 32 years from 1964 to 1997, and served as Depu ...

(born 1932), British politician, author and journalist *

Roy Head Roy Kent Head (January 9, 1941 – September 21, 2020) was an American singer, best known for his hit song " Treat Her Right". Career Roy Kent Head was born in Three Rivers, Texas and achieved fame as a member of musical group The Traits from ...

(1941–2020), American country music, rockabilly, and R&B singer *

Roy Hibbert Roy Denzil Hibbert (born December 11, 1986) is a Jamaican-American former professional basketball player. He is a two-time NBA All-Star, and earned NBA All-Defensive Second Team honors in 2014. Hibbert was the runner-up for the NBA Defensive Play ...

(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 Siegfried & Roy were a duo of German-American magicians and entertainers, best known for their appearances with white lions and white tigers. It was composed of Siegfried Fischbacher (June 13, 1939 – January 13, 2021) and Roy Horn (born Uwe ...

Roy Howell Roy Lee Howell (born December 18, 1953) is an American former professional baseball third baseman, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1974–1984 for the Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, and Milwaukee Brewers. Professional career ...

(born 1953), American former Major League baseball player *

Roy Lee Jackson Roy Lee Jackson (born May 1, 1954) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher likely best remembered for his stint with the Toronto Blue Jays in the early 80s. Early years Jackson was born in Opelika, Alabama. He was drafted by the Houston Astros ...

(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