Names beginning with R

Robert

English from German

"bright fame"

Robert was the Number 1 boys' name in the US in both 1925 and 1950, and in fact was in the Top 25 for more than a century, giving it true classic status. Strong if not quite stylish, Robert remains…

Ryan

Irish

"little king"

Ryan’s use as a given name was inspired by the surname Ryan, a variation of the Irish O’Riain meaning "son of Rían." Rían is composed of the Irish-Gaelic elements rí , meaning "king" and an , a…

River

Nature name

River shares the tranquil feeling of all the water names, and seems to have pretty much escaped its past strong association with River Phoenix and his unfortunate fate. Actor Joaquin Phoenix named…

Raymond

German

"wise protector"

Now that the show has gone into reruns, does anybody still love Raymond? Though it's been long dormant, some parents, including Jack Nicholson, are finding its cool name component, largely through…

Rhys

Welsh

"ardor"

Rugged but gentle, Rhys is the traditional Welsh spelling of this name, which can also be anglicized as Reese or Reece. Up until 2010, Reese was the preferred spelling in the US, perhaps because…

Roy

French or Celtic

"king or red-haired"

We've seen Ray regain his cool, but could this country/cowboy name epitomized by Roy Rogers (born Leonard Slye), Acuff, and Clark, do the same? Roy came into use in the late nineteenth century,…

Ronald

Scottish, Norse

"ruler's counselor"

A strong, if slightly dated sounding choice, Ronald made the US Top 10 in the late 1930s through into the mid-1940s, before it became heavily associated with President Reagan, as well as with the…

Ross

English and Scottish

"upland, peninsula"

Like Friends , Ross is off the air and into syndication as a baby name, having plummeted from its zenith in the late 80s to fall off the US Top 1000 in 2013. Today, Ross is more likely to be a dad…

Reagan

Irish

"little king"

Inextricably tied to the former president, Reagan is a handsome surname name with a cool, current sound. Gender-neutral nickname Ray/Rae is also very on-trend right now. Reagan has been more popular…

Reilly

Irish

"courageous"

This more elaborate but not unfamiliar spelling of Riley feels oddly more feminine. Designer and Beatle daughter Stella McCartney has a daughter named Reilley. Still, Reilly or more common Riley is…