What does Roxana mean?
Roxana means “dawn,” “bright” or “radiant”; she married Alexander the Great.
What does Roya mean?
Roya means “dream” or “vision” in Persian.
Roxana vs Roya
Which is more popular?
Roxana is more popular than Roya today: about 77 US babies were given the name Roxana in 2025, compared with 76 named Roya.
| Roxana | Roya | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Dawn, radiant | Dream, vision |
| Origin | Persian | Persian |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | rok-SAN-ah | ROH-yah |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1882 | 1955 |
| Peak year | 1991 (315) | 2025 (76) |
| In 2025 | 77 | 76 |
| Trend | Declining | Near its peak |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Roxana
Roya
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Roxana | Roya |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 555 | 343 |
| 2010s | 1,270 | 392 |
| 2000s | 2,304 | 219 |
| 1990s | 2,517 | 275 |
| 1980s | 2,272 | 234 |
| 1970s | 944 | 99 |
| 1960s | 690 | 42 |
| 1950s | 588 | 19 |
| 1940s | 395 | 0 |
| 1930s | 185 | 0 |
| 1920s | 133 | 0 |
| 1910s | 67 | 0 |
| 1900s | 31 | 0 |
| 1890s | 17 | 0 |
| 1880s | 26 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Roxana or Roya more popular?
Roxana is more popular than Roya today: about 77 US babies were given the name Roxana in 2025, compared with 76 named Roya.
What is the difference between Roxana and Roya?
Roxana means Dawn, radiant (Persian origin), while Roya means Dream, vision (Persian origin).
Which name is older, Roxana or Roya?
In US records, Roxana first appears in 1882 and Roya in 1955, so Roxana has the longer recorded history.