Given name & surname · also English
Leroy
“the king”
Leroy is used as a given name and a surname. One interpretation is “the king.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One interpretation is “the king.”
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with French and English naming traditions.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Leroy through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 202,163
- 200,981 boys · 1,182 girls
- Most popular year
- 1924
- 3,948 babies
- 2025
- 269
- #888 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +15%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 269 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 888 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 15.2% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 3,922 in 1924. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (27). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 67,707 as a first name in 2020; 7,374 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Leroy’s family of names
In English usage, Leroy has a related form in Elroy. In English usage, Leroy has a related form in Leeroy. In English usage, Leroy has a related form in Leeroy.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 11
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Leeroyvariant · English
- Elroyvariant · English
- Leroivariant · English
- Learoyvariant
- Lerroylikely variant
- Leroyelikely variant
- Lee Royvariant · English
- Le Roivariant · English
Show 3 moreShow fewer
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 2
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Leroy
- Leroy SanéGerman association football playerborn 1996
- Leroy FerDutch association football player (born 1990)
- Gordon CooperAmerican astronaut (1927–2004)
- Leroy BurrellAmerican sprinterborn 1967
- Leroy ChiaoAmerican astronaut and engineerborn 1960
- Leroy AndersonAmerican composer (1908-1975)
- Leroy CarrAmerican blues singer, songwriter and pianist (1905–1935)
- Robert RipleyAmerican cartoonist (1890–1949)
- Leroy LitaEnglish footballerborn 1984
Characters named Leroy: Leroy Jethro Gibbs (the television series NCIS).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Leroy, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Harold
“the ruler of an army”
>99% boys
Alfred
“one who counsels the elves”
>99% boys
Harlan
“an athletic woman” · “from the army”
91% boys · 9% girls
Harvey
“one who is ready for battle” · “a strong man”
98% boys · 2% girls
Crawford
“from the crow's ford”
94% boys · 6% girls
Junior
“the younger one”
>99% boys
Ernest
“one who is sincere and determined; serious”
>99% boys
Edmund
“a wealthy protector”
>99% boys