| Roy | Remy | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | king | Oarsman |
| Origin | french | French |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | roy | REM-ee |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| First appeared | 0 | 1914 |
| Peak year | 1947 (7,560) | 2022 (924) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 781 |
| Trend | Vintage | Rising |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Roy | Remy |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 3,166 | 5,105 |
| 2010s | 5,017 | 4,792 |
| 2000s | 5,581 | 1,242 |
| 1990s | 8,601 | 696 |
| 1980s | 14,308 | 291 |
| 1970s | 22,353 | 108 |
| 1960s | 40,047 | 99 |
| 1950s | 61,847 | 79 |
| 1940s | 65,648 | 27 |
| 1930s | 51,495 | 10 |
| 1920s | 63,259 | 23 |
| 1910s | 40,340 | 12 |
| 1900s | 10,632 | 0 |
| 1890s | 9,779 | 0 |
| 1880s | 6,565 | 0 |
From Old French 'roy/roi', meaning 'king'. Note a second, separate origin: the Scottish Gaelic nickname 'ruadh' ('red', of hair/complexion) — so Roy can mean 'king' (French) or 'red' (Gaelic) depending on the bearer.
From the French Remigius, linked to the Latin remex, “oarsman.”
Remy is more popular than Roy today: about 781 US babies were given the name Remy in 2025, compared with 0 named Roy.
Roy means king (french origin), while Remy means Oarsman (French origin).
In US records, Roy first appears in 0 and Remy in 1914, so Roy has the longer recorded history.