Given name & surname
Roya
“a redhaired woman”·“a red-haired man”·“a king”
Roya is a feminine form of Roy. Interpretations include “a red-haired man” and “a king”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Roya carries the interpretation “a redhaired woman.” Roya is a feminine form of Roy. Interpretations include “a red-haired man” and “a king”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
How it developed
Roya is used as a feminine counterpart of Roy.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1955. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Roya through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,623
- 0 boys · 1,623 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 76 babies
- 2025
- 76
- #2,379 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +20%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 76 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 2,379 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 19.6% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (18). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,894 as a first name in 2020; 188 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.
Roya’s family of names
Roya is a feminine form of Roy. Roya has a related form in Roylene. Roya has a related form in Royanna.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 6
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Roya
- Roya SadatAfghan film producer and directorborn 1983
- Roya HakakianIranian American authorborn 1966
- Roya MahboobAfghan entrepreneur and businesswomanborn 1987
- Roya NonahaliIranian actressborn 1963
- Roya HeshmatiIranian activist against mandatory hijabborn 1990
- Roya TeymourianIranian actressborn 1959
- Roya AfsharIranian actressborn 1960
- Roya MirelmiIranian actressborn 1978
- Roya ArabUK-based Iranian musician and archaeologist (1967-)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Roya, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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“king”
—
Kingswood
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—
Kington
“king”
—
Эльмира
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