Royal
Meaningroyal · English
- US rank
- #476
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #274 in 1889
640 babies were named Royal in the US in 2025. It has dropped 71 places in five years.
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US births per million girls, 1928–2025
US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Royal you might not know, from US birth records. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
- How commonAbout 1 in every 2,669 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Royal, 640 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Royal would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryRoyal has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Royals, and counting.
- Best yearIts best year was 1889, when it reached #274.
- Then vs nowRoyal is 15× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 39,216 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 2,669.
- TrendRoyal has slipped 71 places over the last five years and now sits at #476. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Where it's lovedRoyal is most popular in Georgia, where it ranks #252, followed by Nevada (#299) and Maryland (#300). It's in the top 1,000 in 34 states.
- Boy or girlRoyal is given to both boys and girls: 84% of the 765 babies named Royal in 2025 were boys. That makes it one of the names that truly works for either.
- MeaningIn English, Royal means “royal”.
About the name Royal
Royal is a gender-neutral name of English origin meaning “royal”. It has 5 letters and 2 syllables, starting with R and ending in “-yal”. US birth records list Royal for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1889, when it ranked #274 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #476, with 640 babies. Of the 765 US babies named Royal in 2025, 16% were girls and 84% were boys.
Origin:English names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 5.7 | 175,439 girls |
| 1930s | 2.1 | 476,190 girls |
| 1940s | 1.5 | 649,351 girls |
| 1950s | 0.9 | 1,086,957 girls |
| 1960s | 0.3 | 3,571,429 girls |
| 1970s | 2.2 | 462,963 girls |
| 1980s | 3.4 | 298,507 girls |
| 1990s | 4.8 | 209,205 girls |
| 2000s | 6.3 | 158,228 girls |
| 2010s | 136 | 7,362 girls |
| 2020s | 162 | 6,164 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 249 | 4,024 boys |
| 1890s | 263 | 3,803 boys |
| 1900s | 230 | 4,343 boys |
| 1910s | 199 | 5,014 boys |
| 1920s | 184 | 5,425 boys |
| 1930s | 128 | 7,785 boys |
| 1940s | 88 | 11,344 boys |
| 1950s | 53 | 18,772 boys |
| 1960s | 38 | 26,344 boys |
| 1970s | 34 | 29,568 boys |
| 1980s | 27 | 37,133 boys |
| 1990s | 26 | 38,865 boys |
| 2000s | 38 | 26,254 boys |
| 2010s | 233 | 4,286 boys |
| 2020s | 452 | 2,212 boys |
Other spellings of Royal
More English names
- Girl name: Olivia · olive tree
- Girl name: Charlotte · free
- Boy name: Oliver · olive tree
- Boy name: Henry · ruler of the home
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: William · resolute protector
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
Questions about the name Royal
What does the name Royal mean?
Royal means “royal” in English.
What is the origin of the name Royal?
Royal has English roots in our records. Other English names include Olivia, Charlotte, Oliver.
Is Royal a boy or girl name?
Both. Royal is used for boys and girls: in 2025, 16% of US babies named Royal were girls.
How popular is the name Royal?
Royal ranked #476 for US boys in 2025, given to 640 babies. Its best year was 1889 (#274).