English Names that Start With R

While alternative spelling Royalynn debuted in 2024, Royal got a more streamlined "Lyn-makeover" in 2025. Meaning "pretty and regal" or "royal lake", depending how you interpret Lynn, there's also the chance of it meaning "dream lake" or pretty dream" if you consider it a blend of Persian Roya and Lynn.
 Six girls were called Royalyn when it made its US debut in 2025.

Royalyn

Romany is a melodious name referring to the Roma or Romani community and their culture, which makes it a potentially controversial choice for a baby not of that heritage. Romany Malco is an actor who appeared on the television show "Weeds." Other similar ideas: Roman, Romano, or Romeo.

Romany

Rawdon as a first name is closely associated with the literary character Colonel Rawdon Crawley from Thackeray's Vanity Fair. The Rawdon character, who has a son named after him and called Rawdy, marries antiheroine Becky Sharp. He's handsome, dashing...and ill-fated.

Rawdon

The -el ending feels inevitably feminine; also a form of French poetry. 

Rondel

A rough-and-tumble surname that has seen a small increase in use in recent years. Ten boys received the name in 2024 in the US. 

Rowley

The x gives it some modern cool, but the bury part buries it. 

Roxbury

Rochester was Jack Benny's famous valet and sidekick, played by early African-American comic Eddie Anderson. 

Rochester

A better modern solution than Robert Jr. ; known to fiction readers via Canadian novelist Robertson Davies. 

Robertson

One way to refer to an ancestral Roy, if not the most mellifluous. 

Royden

Often thought of as a one-peson name because of Jungle Book writer Kipling, this was actually his middle name. He was middle-named for Rudyard Lake in Staffordshire, the beauty of which inspired his parents to reference it in their first child's name. Trivia tidbit: Actress Kim Raver gave her son Leo the middle name of Kipling.
Rudyard Kipling's first name was actually Joseph. There were fewer than five baby boys given the name Rudyard in the US in 2021, making it a truly unique name.

Rudyard

Rugby

Stuffy presidential choice: consider Hayes instead. 

Rutherford

Rekker comes to us thanks to actor Cam Gigandet, who gave his son this phonetic spelling of badass word name Wrecker.  Use at your own peril.

Rekker

Inventive way to honor a redheaded ancestor, though most people would mispronounce it reeding, making it sound to some kids like a school assignment: Redding is a preferable spelling. 

Reading

If you feel a burning need to gussy up Ray -- think again. 

Rayburn

Riggan found fame as the first name of the hero of the Oscar-winning film Birdman, played by Michael Keaton.  Riggan has the two-syllable n-ending surname feel so trendy for boys' names today.  It may be a variation of Reagan or Regan or it may be a play on the word rigging.

Whatever its origin, we bet this is one fictional name that will find wider use in real life.

Riggan

The final s turns a nature name into a Waspy surname. 

Raines

Radcliff

Radburn

English names that start with the letter R for boys and girls, including Royalyn, Romany, Rawdon, Rondel, Rowley, Roxbury, Rochester, Robertson, Royden, Rudyard, Rugby, Rutherford, Rekker, Reading, Rayburn, Riggan, Raines, Radcliff, Radburn, and Rod. (Page 6)

English Names that Start With R

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