Roman vs Roy
Roman and Roycompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Roman was ranked #32 and Roy #800 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Roman was ranked #46 and Roy #619 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Roman was ranked #179 and Roy #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2024, Roman was ranked #497 and Roy #458 among boys in Norway.
Roman and Roy over time
Roman and Roy appear together in 3 published lists, across 102 years of shared records. Roman held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Roy in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Roy reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Roman in 1. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- Mirrored each other
Over 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Roman rose about as far as Roy fell — from #605 and #399 in 1996 to #32 and #800 in 2024.
- Longest-running competitions
Roman and Roy were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 53 years, from 1952 to 2024, ending at #497 and #458.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Boys within 2 years — Roman #196 in 1965, Roy #29 in 1967.
List by list
Norway · Boys53 shared years, 1952–2024
Roman held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Roy in 49.
Highest recorded here: Roman #196 in 1965, Roy #29 in 1967.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Roman #497, Roy #458.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Roman held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Roy in 4.
Highest recorded here: Roman #23 in 2021, Roy #399 in 1996.
The order changed in 2000: Roman moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #809 and #621; by 2000 that had become #401 and #751.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Roman #32, Roy #800.
Republic of Ireland · Boys20 shared years, 2001–2025
Roman held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Roy in 6.
Highest recorded here: Roman #134 in 2024, Roy #180 in 2002.
The order changed in 2016: Roman moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #428 and #382; by 2016 that had become #448 and #601.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Roman #179, Roy #829.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Roman | Roy |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From the Latin Romanus, meaning 'Roman' — borne by several early saints and medieval rulers of Bulgaria, Kyiv and Moldavia. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Latin, widely used across Slavic and Germanic languages | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈro.man/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #50 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Roman has a recorded origin (Latin, widely used across Slavic and Germanic languages); Roy does not have one recorded yet.
- Roman has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Roy.
- A meaning is recorded for Roman; Roy doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Roman
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #333 among boys in Norway in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #23 among boys in England and Wales, in 2021 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #50 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Roy
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #88 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2024
Highest recorded position: #29 among boys in Norway, in 1967 (recorded 1945–2024).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys