How popular is the baby name Roy in the United States right now? How popular was it historically? Use the popularity graph and data table below to find out! Plus, see all the blog posts that mention the name Roy.

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Popularity of the baby name Roy


Posts that mention the name Roy

Over 100 baby names for 100 years of the Walt Disney Company

The characters Minnie Mouse and Mickey Mouse in the animated short film "Plane Crazy" (1928)
Minnie and Mickey in “Plane Crazy

Did you know that The Walt Disney Company has a birthday coming up?

On October 16, 2023, Disney will mark its 100th anniversary. (I learned this while working on last month’s post about Davy Crockett.)

Let’s celebrate the upcoming centennial with more than 100 Walt Disney-inspired baby names. Just to make things interesting, all of the names below refer to Disney-related people, places, things, and events from the pre-television era.


Walter, Walt, and Elias
Walter, Walt, and Elias for animator and businessman Walter Elias “Walt” Disney, who was born in 1901. His middle name was passed down from his father, Elias C. Disney. Here are the popularity graphs for Walt, Walter, and Elias.

Kaycee
Kaycee for Kaycee Studio, Walt’s first animation studio. It was named after its location, Kansas City — “K.C” for short. Here’s the popularity graph for Kaycee.

Newman
Newman for the Newman Laugh-o-Grams, Walt’s first animated films, which aired exclusively at the Newman Theater in Kansas City starting in early 1921. Here’s the popularity graph for Newman.

Jack
Jack for the Laugh-o-Gram shorts Jack and the Beanstalk and Jack the Giant Killer, both from 1922. Here’s the popularity graph for Jack.

Goldie
Goldie for the Laugh-o-Gram short Goldie Locks and the Three Bears, also from 1922. The name Goldie was used again (for an elf) in the future Disney short The Golden Touch (1935). Here’s the popularity graph for Goldie.

Alice
Alice for the Alice Comedies, a series of short films in which a live-action girl named Alice interacts with cartoon characters in an animated landscape. The first short, the unfinished Alice’s Wonderland, was created in Kansas City. Here’s the popularity graph for Alice.

The real-life character Alice in the animated short film "Alice's Wild West Show" (1924)
Alice in “Alice’s Wild West Show

In the summer of 1923, after Walt’s second studio (Laugh-o-Gram) went bankrupt, Walt moved to Los Angeles, California.

Margaret
Margaret for businesswoman Margaret J. Winkler, who agreed to distribute Walt’s proposed Alice Comedies series. The contract was signed on October 16, 1923. Here’s the popularity graph for Margaret.

Roy
Roy for Roy O. Disney, who, with Walt, co-founded the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio (later The Walt Disney Company) upon the finalization of the distribution deal. Here’s the popularity graph for Roy.

Virginia
Virginia for child actress Virginia Davis, who originated the role of Alice. Her family relocated to California so that she could appear in 14 more films. Here’s the popularity graph for Virginia.

Margie and Lois
Margie and Lois for child actresses Margie Gay and Lois Hardwick, who played Alice in later films. Here are the popularity graphs for Margie and Lois.

Julius
Julius for Julius the Cat, a recurring character in the Alice Comedies. Here’s the popularity graph for Julius.

Pete
Pete for Peg Leg Pete, a villain who first appeared in Alice Solves the Puzzle (1925). He has since become Disney’s oldest recurring character. Here’s the popularity graph for Pete.

Kathleen
Kathleen for artist Kathleen Dollard, the studio’s first hire. Here’s the popularity graph for Kathleen.

Oswald
Oswald for character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, who was created in 1927 (by Universal Pictures) to star in a new series of animated films, the first 26 of which were animated by Walt’s company. Here’s the popularity graph for Oswald.

The character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit in the animated short film "Rival Romeos" (1928)
Oswald in “Rival Romeos

In 1928, the businessman who owned the rights to Oswald decided to create his own animation studio and produce the Oswald cartoons himself. He even hired away several of Walt’s animators.

It was a major setback, as Walt’s studio had already created more than two dozen successful Oswald films. But Walt refused to give up. Soon enough, he came up with an idea for a new character — a mouse!

Mickey and Minnie
Mickey and Minnie for characters Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. They technically first appeared in the short Plane Crazy (May 1928), but their first wide-release appearance was in Steamboat Willie. Here are the popularity graphs for Mickey and Minnie

Willie
Willie for the short Steamboat Willie (Nov. 1928). One of the first cartoons to synchronize sound and animation, it was an immediate hit. The name Willie was used again in the future Disney short Willie the Operatic Whale (1946). Here’s the popularity graph for Willie.

Charlotte
Charlotte for seamstress Charlotte Clark, who designed and sold the first Disney-approved Mickey Mouse dolls. Here’s the popularity graph for Charlotte.

Charlotte Clark label on a Mickey Mouse doll (1930s)
Charlotte Clark doll label

Walt’s studio not only continued making Mickey Mouse films, but also began another series of films, Silly Symphonies, which introduced a slew of new characters.

Horace
Horace for character Horace Horsecollar, who first appeared in the short The Plowboy (1929). Here’s the popularity graph for Horace.

Adeline
Adeline for “Sweet Adeline,” the song that Mickey (and a pair of alley cats) performed for Minnie in the short The Karnival Kid (1929). Mickey Mouse spoke his first words in this cartoon. Here’s the popularity graph for Adeline.

Clarabelle
Clarabelle for Horace’s love interest, Clarabelle Cow, who first appeared in the short The Shindig (1930). Here’s the popularity graph for Clarabelle.

Pluto
Pluto for Mickey Mouse’s dog, Pluto the Pup, who first appeared in the short The Chain Gang (1930). His name, inspired by the recently discovered planet Pluto, was first used in The Moose Hunt (1931). Here’s the popularity graph for Pluto.

Vance
Vance for actor Vance “Pinto” Colvig, the original voice of both Pluto and Goofy. Here’s the popularity graph for Vance.

Fifi
Fifi for Pluto’s love interest, Fifi the Pekingese, who first appeared in the short Puppy Love (1933). Here’s the popularity graph for Fifi.

Donald
Donald for character Donald Duck, who first appeared in the short The Wise Little Hen (1934). Here’s the popularity graph for Donald.

Clarence
Clarence for actor Clarence Nash, the original voice of Donald Duck. Here’s the popularity graph for Clarence.

Morty and Ferdie
Morty and Ferdie for Mickey Mouse’s nephews, Morty and Ferdie Fieldmouse, from the short Mickey’s Steam Roller (1934). Here are the popularity graphs for Morty and Ferdie.

Clara
Clara for character Clara Cluck, the operatic chicken who first appeared in the short Orphan’s Benefit (1934). Here’s the popularity graph for Clara.

Peter and Polly
Peter and Polly for characters Peter and Polly Penguin from the short Peculiar Penguins (1934). The name Peter was used again in the future Disney short Peter and the Wolf (1946). Here are the popularity graphs for Peter and Polly.

Bianca
Bianca for artist Bianca Majolie, the studio’s first female employee in the Story department (as opposed to the Ink and Paint department). Here’s the popularity graph for Bianca.

Max and Toby
Max and Toby for characters Max Hare and Toby Tortoise, rivals first featured in the Oscar-winning short The Tortoise and the Hare (1935). Here are the popularity graphs for Max and Toby.

Ambrose (or Butch)
Ambrose (or Butch) for the kitten named Ambrose (who aspired to be a bandit called “Butch”) in the short The Robber Kitten (1935). Here are the popularity graphs for Ambrose and Butch.

Jenny
Jenny for Donald Duck’s burro, Jenny, who first appeared in the short Mickey’s Polo Team (1936). The name Jenny had also been used in the unrelated 1935 short Who Killed Cock Robin? Here’s the popularity graph for Jenny.

Elmer and Tillie
Elmer and Tillie for characters Elmer Elephant and Tillie Tiger from the short Elmer Elephant (1936). The name Elmer had also been used in the unrelated 1934 short Mickey Plays Papa. Here are the popularity graphs for Elmer and Tillie.

Mortimer
Mortimer for character Mortimer Mouse from the 1936 short Mickey’s Rival. (Did you know that Walt’s original name for Mickey Mouse was “Mortimer Mouse”? His wife Lillian convinced him to use the name Mickey instead.) Here’s the popularity graph for Mortimer.

Monty and Abner
Monty and Abner for characters Monty Citymouse and Abner Countrymouse from the Oscar-winning short The Country Cousin (1936). Here are the popularity graphs for Monty and Abner.

Donna
Donna for Donald Duck’s first girlfriend, Donna Duck, from the short Don Donald (1937). Here’s the popularity graph for Donna.

Hortense
Hortense for the insatiable ostrich Hortense in the short Donald’s Ostrich (1937). Here’s the popularity graph for Hortense.

Snow
Snow for Snow White, the lead character from the studio’s first feature-length film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). This was the first animated feature in history “to receive a wide, Hollywood-style release.” Here’s the popularity graph for Snow.

Seven
Seven for the seven dwarfs from Snow White. Here’s the popularity graph for Seven.

Marge
Marge for dancer Marge Champion, the real-life model for Snow White. She was also the model for other Disney characters, including the Blue Fairy in Pinocchio. Here’s the popularity graph for Marge.

Adriana
Adriana for actress and singer Adriana Caselotti, the voice of Snow White. Here’s the popularity graph for Adriana.

Lucille
Lucille for actress Lucille La Verne, the voice of the Evil Queen from Snow White. Here’s the popularity graph for Lucille.

Moroni
Moroni for actor Moroni Olsen, the voice of the Magic Mirror from Snow White. Here’s the popularity graph for Moroni.

Larry and Frank
Larry and Frank for songwriters Larry Morey and Frank Churchill, who created the song “Someday My Prince Will Come” for Snow White. Here are the popularity graphs for Larry and Frank.

Huey, Dewey, and Louie
Huey, Dewey, and Louie for Donald Duck’s nephews, who first appeared in the short Donald’s Nephews (1938). Here are the popularity graphs for Huey, Dewey, and Louie.

Tailor
Tailor for the Mickey Mouse short Brave Little Tailor (1938). Here’s the popularity graph for Tailor.

Ferdinand
Ferdinand for the pacifist bull Ferdinand from the Oscar-winning short Ferdinand the Bull (1938). Here’s the popularity graph for Ferdinand.

Wilbur
Wilbur for Goofy’s pet grasshopper, Wilbur, from the short Goofy and Wilbur (1939). Here’s the popularity graph for Wilbur.

Gus
Gus for the gluttonous goose Gus in the short Donald’s Cousin Gus (1939). The name Gus was used again (for a mouse) in the future Disney movie Cinderella. Here’s the popularity graph for Gus.

Dickie
Dickie for child actor Richard “Dickie” Jones, the voice of the lead character from the studio’s second feature-length film, Pinocchio (1940). Here’s the popularity graph for Dickie.

Blue
Blue for the Blue Fairy, the character who brought Geppetto’s puppet to life in Pinocchio. Here’s the popularity graph for Blue.

Evelyn
Evelyn for actress Evelyn Venable, the voice of the Blue Fairy from Pinocchio. Here’s the popularity graph for Evelyn.

Cleo
Cleo for Geppetto’s pet goldfish, Cleo, from Pinocchio. Here’s the popularity graph for Cleo.

Leigh and Ned
Leigh and Ned for songwriters Leigh Harline and Ned Washington, who created the song “When You Wish Upon a Star” for Pinocchio. Here are the popularity graphs for Leigh and Ned.

Cliff
Cliff for actor and singer Clifton “Cliff” Edwards, the voice of Jiminy Cricket from Pinocchio. Here’s the popularity graph for Cliff.

Daisy
Daisy for Donald Duck’s second girlfriend, Daisy Duck, who first appeared in the short Mr. Duck Steps Out (1940). Here’s the popularity graph for Daisy.

Fantasia
Fantasia for the studio’s third feature-length film, Fantasia (1940). The movie’s title comes from the musical term fantasia, which refers to a musical composition without a traditional or fixed form. Here’s the popularity graph for Fantasia.

Fred
Fred for animator Fred Moore, who redesigned Mickey Mouse for the character’s feature-length film debut in Fantasia. Here’s the popularity graph for Fred.

Leopold
Leopold for conductor Leopold Stokowski, who conducted the classical music in Fantasia. Here’s the popularity graph for Leopold.

Giles
Giles for character Sir Giles, the elderly knight from the studio’s fourth feature-length film, The Reluctant Dragon (1941). Here’s the popularity graph for Giles.

Timothy
Timothy for the character Timothy Q. Mouse from the studio’s fifth feature-length film, Dumbo (1941). Here’s the popularity graph for Timothy.

Bambi and Faline
Bambi and Faline for characters Bambi and Faline from the studio’s sixth feature-length film, Bambi (1942). Here are the popularity graphs for Bambi and Faline.

Tyrus
Tyrus for Chinese-American animator Tyrus Wong, whose sketches inspired the impressionistic style of Bambi. Here’s the popularity graph for Tyrus.

Retta
Retta for animator Retta Scott, the first female animator to receive screen credit on a Disney animated feature (Bambi). Here’s the popularity graph for Retta.

José
José for character José Carioca, the dapper parrot who first appeared in the studio’s seventh feature-length film, Saludos Amigos (1943). Here’s the popularity graph for José.

Pedro
Pedro for character Pedro, the anthropomorphic mail plane from Saludos Amigos. Here’s the popularity graph for Pedro.

Chip and Dale
Chip and Dale for characters Chip and Dale, the mischievous chipmunks who first appeared in the short Private Pluto (1943). Here are the popularity graphs for Chip and Dale.

Pablo
Pablo for character Pablo, the warmth-seeking penguin from the studio’s ninth feature-length film, The Three Caballeros (1945). Here’s the popularity graph for Pablo.

Pauline
Pauline for character Pauline from the short Duck Pimples (1945). Here’s the popularity graph for Pauline.

Cedric and Esmeralda
Cedric and Esmeralda for characters Cedric and Esmeralda from the short A Knight for a Day (1946). Here are the popularity graphs for Cedric and Esmeralda.

Henry and Grace
Henry and Grace for characters Henry and Grace, the feuding newlyweds from the studio’s 10th feature-length film, Make Mine Music (1946). Here are the popularity graphs for Henry and Grace.

Lulubelle
Lulubelle for character Lulubelle from the studio’s 12th feature-length film, Fun and Fancy Free (1947). Here’s the popularity graph for Lulubelle.

Anita
Anita for singer Anita Gordon, the voice of the Golden Harp in Fun and Fancy Free. Here’s the popularity graph for Anita.

Alfred and Elma
Alfred and Elma for husband-and-wife wildlife filmmakers Alfred and Elma Milotte, who created Disney’s True-Life Adventures documentary series, starting with the Oscar-winning On Seal Island (1948). Here are the popularity graphs for Alfred and Elma.

Jeremiah
Jeremiah for character Jeremiah Kincaid from the studio’s 14th feature-length film, So Dear to My Heart (1949). Here’s the popularity graph for Jeremiah.

Danny
Danny for Jeremiah’s pet lamb, Danny, from So Dear to My Heart (1949). The lamb was named after champion racehorse Dan Patch. Here’s the popularity graph for Danny.

Bobby
Bobby for child actor Robert “Bobby” Driscoll, who played Jeremiah in So Dear to My Heart. Bobby also played the part of Jim in Treasure Island. Here’s the popularity graph for Bobby.

Luana
Luana for child actress Luana Patten, who played Tildy in So Dear to My Heart. Here’s the popularity graph for Luana.

Marceline
Marceline for the town of Marceline, Missouri. Though set in Indiana, So Dear to My Heart was strongly influenced by Walt’s childhood experiences in Marceline. Here’s the popularity graph for Marceline.

Melody
Melody for the studio’s 13th feature-length film, Melody Time (1948). Here’s the popularity graph for Melody.

Bill and Sue
Bill and Sue for characters Pecos Bill and Slue-Foot Sue from Melody Time. Here are the popularity graphs for Bill and Sue.

Angus and Thaddeus
Angus and Thaddeus for characters Angus MacBadger and J. Thaddeus Toad from the studio’s 15th feature-length film, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949). Here are the popularity graphs for Angus and Thaddeus.

Brom and Katrina
Brom and Katrina for characters Brom Bones and Katrina Van Tassel, also from The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. Here are the popularity graphs for Brom and Katrina.

Cinderella
Cinderella for the lead character from the studio’s 16th feature-length film, Cinderella (1950). Here’s the popularity graph for Cinderella.

Ilene
Ilene for actress and singer Jacqueline Ruth “Ilene” Woods, the voice of Cinderella. Here’s the popularity graph for Ilene.

Verna
Verna for actress Verna Felton, the voice of the Fairy Godmother from Cinderella. Here’s the popularity graph for Verna.

Treasure
Treasure for the studio’s 17th feature-length film, Treasure Island (1950). This was Disney’s first entirely live-action movie. Here’s the popularity graph for Treasure.

Jim
Jim for character Jim Hawkins from Treasure Island. Here’s the popularity graph for Jim.

Humphrey
Humphrey for character Humphrey the Bear, who first appeared in the short Hold That Pose (1950). Here’s the popularity graph for Humphrey.


Disney’s pre-television era ended in December of 1950, when NBC aired Walt Disney’s first TV production — a Christmas special called One Hour in Wonderland, hosted by Walt himself.

Which of the names above do you like best?

P.S. Today happens to be the 68th anniversary of Disneyland, which opened in 1955 on July 17.

Sources:

Images:

[Similar post: Over 100 baby names for 100 years of the U.S. National Park Service]

Baby names associated with red: Ruby, Carmine, Scarlett, Mars

red cherries

Looking for baby names that are associated with the color red — including baby names that mean “red”?

If so, you’ve come to the right place! I’ve collected dozens of options for you in this post.

Before we get to the names, though, let’s take a quick look at what red represents…

Symbolism of red

What does the color red signify?

In Western cultures in particular, red can be symbolic of:

  • Love
  • Passion
  • Strength
  • Power
  • Danger
  • Excitement
  • Energy

The link between the color red and emotionally-charged situations may be attributable to the fact that we blush involuntarily when we experience intense feelings (such as anger, lust, or embarrassment).

red bricks

Baby names associated with red

All of the names below have an association with the color red. The names range from traditional to unusual, and their associations range from strong to slight.

Those that have been popular enough to appear in the U.S. baby name data are linked to their corresponding popularity graphs.

Ahmar
Ahmar is an Arabic masculine name meaning “red.” Here’s the popularity graph for Ahmar.

Akane
Akane is a Japanese feminine name that — depending upon the kanji being used to write the name — can refer to the madder plant (genus Rubia), the dye made from the root of the madder plant, or the purplish-red color of that dye. Here’s the popularity graph for Akane.

Amaranth
Amaranth flowers are frequently red. The genus name Amaranthus is derived from a combination of the Ancient Greek words amarantos, meaning “unfading,” and anthos, meaning “flower.” Here’s the popularity graph for Amaranth.

Amaryllis
Amaryllis flowers are often red. The genus name Amaryllis is derived from the Ancient Greek word amarysso, meaning “to sparkle.” Here’s the popularity graph for Amaryllis.

Anara
Anara is a Kazakh and Kyrgyz feminine name based on the word anar, meaning “pomegranate.” Here’s the popularity graph for Anara.

Azalea
Azalea (pronounced uh-ZAY-lee-uh) flowers are sometimes red. The (obsolete) genus name Azalea is derived from the Ancient Greek word azaleos, meaning “dry.” Here’s the popularity graph for Azalea.

Berry
Berry fruits are frequently red. The Old English word for “berry” was berie. Here’s the popularity graph for Berry.

Brick
Brick is commonly red. In fact, the term “brick red” refers to the brownish-red color of red clay bricks. Here’s the popularity graph for Brick.

Burgundy
Burgundy is a purplish-red color. The name of the shade was inspired by red wine from the region of Burgundy in France. Here’s the popularity graph for Burgundy.

Camellia
Camellia flowers are often red. The genus Camellia is was named in honor of Moravian botanist Georg Joseph Kamel. Here’s the popularity graph for Camellia.

Canna
Canna flowers are sometimes red. The genus name Canna is derived from the Latin word canna, meaning “reed.” Here’s the popularity graph for Canna.

Cardinal
Cardinal is a type of bird, the males of which have red plumage. Cardinals (birds of the genus Cardinalis) were named with the red robes of Roman Catholic cardinals in mind. The common name is ultimately derived from the Latin word cardinalis, meaning “principal, chief.” Here’s the popularity graph for Cardinal.

Carmine
The vocabulary word carmine (pronounced KAHR-mien) refers to the pigment made from the cochineal insect, which lives on prickly pear cacti. By extension, it also refers to the purplish-red color of this pigment. Spanish explorers, who learned of the pigment through the Nahuas (Aztecs), began exporting it to Europe in the early 16th century. Its name (in Europe) is based on the Medieval Latin word carminium — a form of the Arabic word qirmiz, meaning “crimson,” influenced by the Latin word minium, meaning “cinnabar.” The word also happens to be a homograph of the personal name Carmine (pronounced KAHR-mee-neh), which is the Italian masculine form of Carmen. Here’s the popularity graph for Carmine.

Carnelian
Carnelian, a variety of the mineral chalcedony, is often red. The name of the stone ultimately comes from the Latin word cornus, which refers to a type of berry, altered by the influence of the Latin word carneus, meaning “flesh-colored.”

Cerise
Cerise (pronounced su-reez) is the French word for “cherry.” Here’s the popularity graph for Cerise.

Cherry
Cherry fruits are typically red. Cherry trees are part of the genus Prunus. Here’s the popularity graph for Cherry.

Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemum flowers are sometimes red. The genus name Chrysanthemum is derived from a combination of the Ancient Greek words khrysos, meaning “gold,” and anthemon, meaning “blossom, flower.” Here’s the popularity graph for Chrysanthemum.

Coral
Coral is a pink-orange shade of red. The name of the shade refers to the color of precious coral, which was first discovered in the Mediterranean Sea. Here’s the popularity graph for Coral.

Crimson
Crimson is a deep shade of red. Crimson pigment was originally made from the kermes insect, which lives on evergreen oaks. (The pigment fell out of favor in Europe after the introduction of carmine from the New World in the early 1500s.) Here’s the popularity graph for Crimson.

Dahlia
Dahlia flowers are sometimes red. The genus Dahlia was named in honor of Swedish botanist Anders Dahl. Here’s the popularity graph for Dahlia.

Delima
Delima is an Indonesian feminine name meaning “pomegranate.” Here’s the popularity graph for Delima.

Edom
Edom is a Biblical masculine name based on the Hebrew word ‘adom, meaning “red.” Here’s the popularity graph for Edom.

Erythia
Erythia, based on the Ancient Greek word eruthrós, meaning “red,” was the name of several figures in Greek mythology.

Eztli
Eztli is the Nahuatl word for blood. (Fun fact: The red pigment made from cochineal that Europeans called carmine was called nocheztli, or “prickly pear blood,” by the Nahuas.) Here’s the popularity graph for Eztli.

Flann
Flann is an Irish masculine name meaning “blood red.”

Flannán
Flannán is a diminutive form of Flann.

Garnet
Garnet is a gemstone that is typically dark red. The name of the stone ultimately comes from the Latin word granatum, meaning “pomegranate” (literally, “having many seeds”) — a reference to the resemblance between garnets and pomegranate seeds. Here’s the popularity graph for Garnet.

Garance
Garance is a French feminine name that refers to the madder plant (genus Rubia), the dye made from the root of the madder plant, or the purplish-red color of that dye.

Gladiola
Gladiola refers to Gladiolus, a genus of plants with flowers that are sometimes red. The genus name, meaning “little sword” (a diminutive of the Latin word gladius, “sword”) refers to the shape of the leaves. Here’s the popularity graph for Gladiola.

Gül
Gül (pronounced gool) is a Turkish feminine name meaning “rose.” Here’s the popularity graph for Gül.

Helen
Helen is part of Helenium, a genus of plants with flowers that are sometimes red. The genus was named in honor of Helen of Troy. Here’s the popularity graph for Helen.

Jagoda
Jagoda (pronounced YAH-goh-dah) is a feminine name meaning “strawberry” in Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Slovene, and other South Slavic languages.

Jasper
Jasper, an opaque type of microcrystalline quartz, is commonly red. The name of the stone ultimately comes from the Ancient Greek word iaspis. Here’s the popularity graph for Jasper.

Kamala
Kamala is a Hindi feminine name based on the Sanskrit word kamala, meaning “pale red.” Here’s the popularity graph for Kamala.

Kimmernaq
Kimmernaq is a Greenlandic feminine name meaning “lingonberry.”

Kiraz
Kiraz is the Turkish word for “cherry.”

Kirsikka
Kirsikka is the Finnish word for “cherry.”

Lali
Lali is a Georgian feminine name meaning “ruby.” Here’s the popularity graph for Lali.

Lohit
Lohit is a Hindi masculine name based on the Sanskrit word lóhita, meaning “red.”

Mars
The pronoun Mars initially referred to the Roman god of war. Later, when the Ancient Romans chose names for the five visible planets of the solar system, they named the one with the reddish color — which is reminiscent of blood — after the god of war. (The surface of Mars appears reddish due to the presence of iron oxide in the planet’s soil.) Here’s the popularity graph for Mars.

Orchid
Orchid flowers are sometimes red. Orchids are all members of the Orchidaceae family of plants. Here’s the popularity graph for Orchid.

Phoenix
Phoenix refers to the mythical bird, but the name of that bird was based on the Ancient Greek word phoinix, meaning “purple” or “crimson.” Here’s the popularity graph for Phoenix.

Poinsettia
Poinsettia bracts are usually red. “Poinsettia” is the common name of the plant species Euphorbia pulcherrima. The common name commemorates U.S. politician Joel Roberts Poinsett, who introduced the plant to the U.S. (from Mexico) in the 1820s.

Poppy
Poppy flowers are commonly red. The Old English word for “poppy” was popig. Here’s the popularity graph for Poppy.

Raktima
Raktima is the Sanskrit word for “redness.”

Red
Red, of course, refers to the color red. :) Here’s the popularity graph for Red.

Reed and Reid
Reed, also spelled Reid, comes from an English and Scottish surname that can be traced back to the Middle English word for “red.” Here are the popularity graphs for Reed and Reid.

Rimmon
Rimmon is a Hebrew gender-neutral name meaning “pomegranate.”

Rohit
Rohit is a Hindi masculine name based on the Sanskrit word róhita, meaning “red.” Here’s the popularity graph for Rohit.

Rose
The word rose refers to any flowering plant of the genus Rosa, the name of which ultimately derives from the Greek word for the plant, rhodon. Roses come in various colors, but shades of red have long been favored — so much so that the word rose, by extension, has also referred to a pinkish-red or purplish-red color since the early 16th century. Here’s the popularity graph for Rose.

Roth
Roth comes from a German surname that can be traced back to the Middle High German word rot, meaning “red.” It was originally a nickname for a red-haired person. Here’s the popularity graph for Roth.

Rowan
Rowan is an Anglicized form of Ruadhán. Here’s the popularity graph for Rowan.

Roy
Roy is an Anglicized form of Ruadh. Here’s the popularity graph for Roy.

Ruadh
Ruadh (pronounced roo-ah) means “red” or “red-haired” in Irish and Scottish Gaelic.

Ruadhán
Ruadhán is a diminutive form of Ruadh.

Rubina
Rubina is a Portuguese and Italian and feminine name meaning “ruby.” Here’s the popularity graph for Rubina.

Ruby
The word ruby refers to the red variety of the mineral corundum. By extension, it also refers to the red color of these crystals. The name of the stone can be traced back to the Medieval Latin term lapis rubinus, meaning “red stone” (from rubeus, meaning “red,” and lapis, meaning “stone”). Here’s the popularity graph for Ruby.

Rufus
Rufus derives from the Latin word rufus, meaning “red” or “red-haired.” Here’s the popularity graph for Rufus.

Rufina and Rufino
Rufina (feminine) and Rufino (masculine) are the modern Spanish forms of the Roman family name Rufinus, which was based on Rufus. Here are the popularity graphs for Rufina and Rufino.

Russell
Russell comes from a surname that can be traced back to the Old French word rous, meaning “red.” Here’s the popularity graph for Russell.

Scarlet and Scarlett
Scarlet is a bright shade of red. The name of the color comes from the Medieval Latin word scarlata (or scarlatum), which referred to a type of woolen cloth that was often, though not always, dyed red. The more popular spelling of the name, Scarlett, represents transferred usage of the English surname. The surname Scarlett originally referred to a person who sold or worked with the cloth. Here are the popularity graphs for Scarlet and Scarlett.

Shani
Shani is a Hebrew gender-neutral name meaning “scarlet, red.” Here’s the popularity graph for Shani.

Strawberry
Strawberry fruits are red. Strawberry plants are part of the genus Fragaria. Here’s the popularity graph for Strawberry.

Tulip
Tulip flowers are often red. The name of the flower can be traced back to the Ottoman Turkish word tülbent, meaning “turban.” Here’s the popularity graph for Tulip.

Ulaan
Ulaan is a Mongolian gender-neutral name meaning “red.”

Vadelma
Vadelma is a Finnish feminine name meaning “raspberry.”

Vardan
Vardan is an Albanian masculine name meaning “rose.” Here’s the popularity graph for Vardan.

Verbena
Verbena flowers are sometimes red. The genus name Verbena is derived from the Latin word verbena, which referred to the leaves, twigs, and branches of specific plants (like laurel, olive, and myrtle) that were used during religious ceremonies. Here’s the popularity graph for Verbena.

Vered
Vered is a Hebrew feminine name meaning “rose.” Here’s the popularity graph for Vered.

Vermilion
Vermilion is an orange-red color. Vermilion pigment was originally made from the mineral cinnabar.

Warda
Warda is an Arabic feminine name meaning “rose.” Here’s the popularity graph for Warda.

Zinnia
Zinnia flowers are sometimes red. The genus Zinnia was named in honor of German botanist Johann Gottfried Zinn. Here’s the popularity graph for Zinnia.


Can you think of any other names that have a connection to the color red?

P.S. Want to see more color-related baby names? Here are lists of orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple names.

Sources:

Images:

[Latest update: Nov. 2023]

Where did the baby name Quisto come from in 1984?

The character Quisto Champion from the TV western/soap opera "The Yellow Rose" (1983-1984).
Quisto from “The Yellow Rose

The curious name Quisto debuted in the U.S. baby name data in the middle of the 1980s:

  • 1986: unlisted
  • 1985: unlisted
  • 1984: 9 baby boys named Quisto [debut]
  • 1983: unlisted
  • 1982: unlisted

While Quisto was only in the data once, it debuted impressively enough to tie for top one-hit wonder boy name of 1984.

Where did it come from?

The short-lived nighttime soap opera/western The Yellow Rose (1983-1984), which was set in West Texas on the sprawling “Yellow Rose” ranch. The ranch had been built by the late Wade Champion, but was now being run by Wade’s young widow Colleen (played by Cybill Shepherd) and his sons Roy and “Quisto” (real name Ramon).

I don’t know how the character acquired his nickname (if anyone out there watched the show and remembers, please leave a comment!), but I can tell you about the cowboy slang term quisto. It refers to a quirt — a woven-leather whip with a short handle and “a lash of three or four heavy, loose thongs.” The word quirt is derived from the Mexican Spanish word cuarta, “whip,” which comes from the Spanish word cuerda, “cord.”

And Quisto wasn’t the only Yellow Rose character to have an impact on baby names. Chance McKenzie — a “lanky, taciturn” ex-convict and ranch-hand played by Sam Elliott — gave the baby name Chance a boost in 1984:

  • 1986: 508 baby boys named Chance [rank: 368th]
  • 1985: 650 baby boys named Chance [rank: 313th]
  • 1984: 880 baby boys named Chance [rank: 249th]
  • 1983: 230 baby boys named Chance [rank: 555th]
  • 1982: 186 baby boys named Chance [rank: 636th]

What are your thoughts on the names Chance and Quisto? Which one would you be more likely to use?

Sources:

Baby names associated with orange: Autumn, Ember, Saffron, Blaze

Orange-colored leaves in autumn

Looking for baby names that are associated with the color orange — including baby names that mean “orange”?

If so, you’re in luck — I’ve collected dozens of ideas for you in this post.

But, before we get to the names, let’s take a look at what the color orange represents…

Symbolism of orange

What does the color orange signify?

In Western cultures in particular, orange can be symbolic of:

  • Warmth
  • Creativity
  • Adventure
  • Freshness
  • Happiness
  • Attraction
  • Success

It can also be associated with safety. A vivid reddish-orange — one that contrasts well with the blue of the sky — is used to make clothing and equipment highly visible in certain circumstances (e.g., at construction sites, during hunting season).

In Eastern cultures, orange is considered a sacred color. In Hinduism, for example, orange represents fire and, thereby, purity (as impurities are burned away by fire).

Orange-colored flames of a fire

Baby names associated with orange

All of the names below have an association with the color orange. The names range from common to uncommon, and their associations range from strong to slight.

Those that have been popular enough to appear in the U.S. baby name data are linked to their corresponding popularity graphs.

Aethon and Aithon
Aethon, also spelled Aithon, is derived from the Ancient Greek word aithon, which means “burning, blazing.”

Aki
Aki is a Japanese name that can mean “autumn,” depending upon the kanji being used to write the name. Here’s the popularity graph for Aki.

Alba
Alba is a feminine name meaning “dawn” in Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Romanian, and other Romance languages. Here’s the popularity graph for Alba.

Amber
The word amber refers to fossilized tree resin that is commonly used as a gemstone. By extension, the word also refers to the yellowish-orange color of this material. The fossilized resin, which washes up on the seashore in the Baltic region, came to be called “amber” during the Middle Ages — likely due to an association with ambergris (a material produced by sperm whales that also washes up on the shore). Here’s the popularity graph for Amber.

Anatole
Anatole is the modern French masculine form of Anatolius. Here’s the popularity graph for Anatole.

Anatolia
Anatolia is a feminine form of Anatolius. Here’s the popularity graph for Anatolia.

Anatolios
Anatolios was an Ancient Greek name derived from the word anatole, meaning “sunrise.”

Anatolius
Anatolius is the Latinized form of Anatolios.

Anatoliy
Anatoliy is the modern Russian and Ukrainian masculine form of Anatolius. Here’s the popularity graph for Anatoliy.

Apricot
Apricot fruits are yellowish-orange. Apricot trees are part of the genus Prunus.

Aurora
Aurora, the Latin word for “dawn,” was the name of the Roman goddess of dawn. Here’s the popularity graph for Aurora.

Autumn
The word autumn refers to the season during which the leaves of deciduous trees turn various colors, including orange. Halloween — a holiday strongly associated with the color orange — is also celebrated during Autumn (at least in the Northern Hemisphere). Here’s the popularity graph for Autumn.

Azar
Azar is a Persian gender-neutral name meaning “fire.” Here’s the popularity graph for Azar.

Blaze
The vocabulary word blaze refers to a fire, particularly one that’s burning intensely. Blaze is also a homophone of the (more traditional) name Blaise, which ultimately derives from the Latin word blaesus, meaning “lisping.” Here’s the popularity graph for Blaze.

Canna
Canna flowers are sometimes orange. The genus name Canna is derived from the Latin word canna, meaning “reed.” Here’s the popularity graph for Canna.

Carnelian
Carnelian, a variety of the mineral chalcedony, is frequently orange. The name of the stone ultimately comes from the Latin word cornus, which refers to a type of berry, altered by the influence of the Latin word carneus, meaning “flesh-colored.”

Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemum (pronounced krih-SAN-thuh-muhm) flowers are often orange. The genus name Chrysanthemum is derived from a combination of the Ancient Greek words khrysos, meaning “gold,” and anthemon, meaning “blossom, flower.” Here’s the popularity graph for Chrysanthemum.

Citrine
Citrine, a variety of the mineral quartz, is usually orange. The adjective citrine can be traced back to the Latin word citrus. Here’s the popularity graph for Citrine.

Clementine
Clementine fruits are a cross between mandarin orange and sweet orange. They were named after French priest Clément Rodier, who discovered the cultivar while in Algeria. The name Clément is derived from the Latin word clemens, meaning “merciful.” Here’s the popularity graph for Clementine.

Copper
Copper is a metallic element with a lustrous orange-brown color. Here’s the popularity graph for Copper.

Dahlia
Dahlia flowers are sometimes orange. The genus Dahlia was named in honor of Swedish botanist Anders Dahl. Here’s the popularity graph for Dahlia.

Dawn
Dawn refers to the period of time in the early morning (before sunrise) when the sky begins to brighten with daylight. This light at dawn tends to have an orange hue. The word dawn can be traced back to the Old English verb dagian, meaning “to become day.” Here’s the popularity graph for Dawn.

Dysis
Dysis, the Ancient Greek word for “sunset,” was the name of the Greek goddess of the hour of sunset.

Ember
The word ember refers a glowing, slowly burning piece of solid fuel (like wood or coal). It’s often used in the plural to refer to the smoldering remains of a fire. Here’s the popularity graph for Ember.

Eos
Eos, the Ancient Greek word for “dawn,” was the name of the Greek goddess of dawn.

Fajr
Fajr is an Arabic feminine name meaning “dawn.” Here’s the popularity graph for Fajr.

Fiamma
Fiamma (pronounced FYAM-ma) is an Italian feminine name meaning “flame.” Here’s the popularity graph for Fiamma.

Fox
Fox fur, if you’re talking about the red fox (Vulpes vulpes), is largely orange. The word fox is ultimately derived from a Proto-Indo-European word meaning “tail.” Here’s the popularity graph for Fox.

Gaeul
Gaeul is a Korean gender-neutral name meaning “autumn.”

Gladiola
Gladiola refers to Gladiolus, a genus of plants with flowers that are sometimes orange. The genus name, meaning “little sword” (a diminutive of the Latin word gladius, “sword”) refers to the shape of the leaves. Here’s the popularity graph for Gladiola.

Helen
Helen is a form of the Ancient Greek name Helene, which is likely based on the word helene, meaning “torch.” Also, plants of the genus Helenium have flowers that are sometimes orange. The genus was named in honor of Helen of Troy. Here’s the popularity graph for Helen.

Honey
Honey can be orange. The Old English word for “honey” was hunig. Here’s the popularity graph for Honey.

Iskra
Iskra is a feminine name meaning “spark” in Russian, Serbian, Croatian, Bulgarian, and other Slavic languages. Here’s the popularity graph for Iskra.

Jack
Jack is part of “Jack-o’-Lantern” — a term that, since the 1800s, has referred to a carved pumpkin used as a lantern during Halloween. It originated as “Jack of the lantern” in 17th-century England, where it was used as a generic term for any lantern-carrying night watchman. Here’s the popularity graph for Jack.

Frederic Leighton's painting "Flaming June" (1895)
“Flaming June”

June
June (besides being a month) is part of “Flaming June” — the name of the 1895 painting by Frederic Leighton. “Flaming June” features a red-headed woman wearing a diaphanous orange dress and sleeping by the sea (which reflects the golden rays of the setting sun). Here’s the popularity graph for June.

Keahi
Keahi is a Hawaiian gender-neutral name meaning “the fire.” Here’s the popularity graph for Keahi.

Kealaula
Kealaula is a Hawaiian gender-neutral name that means “the light of early dawn” or “the sunset glow.” The literal definition is “the flaming road” (ala means “path, road,” and ula means “to flame”).

Marigold
The word marigold refers to any flowering plant of either the New World genus Tagetes or the Old World genus Calendula. By extension, it also refers to the yellowish-orange color of these flowers. Here’s the popularity graph for Marigold.

Meli
Meli was the Ancient Greek word for “honey.” Here’s the popularity graph for Meli.

Monarch
Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) have wings that are largely orange. They were named “monarch” in the 1800s, possibly in honor of England’s King William III, who was also the Prince of Orange. The word is derived from a combination of the Ancient Greek words monos, meaning “alone,” and arkhos, meaning “ruler.” Here’s the popularity graph for Monarch.

Neven
Neven is a masculine name meaning “marigold” in Serbian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Slovene, and other Slavic languages. Here’s the popularity graph for Neven.

Nevena
Nevena is the feminine form of Neven. Here’s the popularity graph for Nevena.

Orange
Orange, of course, refers to the color orange. :) Orange fruits were introduced to Europe by the Moors in the 10th century. The word for the fruit, which can be traced back to Sanskrit, entered the English language (via French) in the late 14th century. The first recorded use of “orange” as a color name in English didn’t come along until the early 16th century. (This explains why many things that are clearly orange — like red hair, red foxes, and the robin redbreast — are called “red”: They were named long before the color-word “orange” entered the English language!) Here’s the popularity graph for Orange.

Orchid
Orchid flowers are sometimes orange. Orchids are all members of the Orchidaceae family of plants. Here’s the popularity graph for Orchid.

Oriole
Oriole is a type of bird that often has orange plumage. “Oriole” is the common name of birds in the genera Icterus and Oriolidae. The common name is derived from the Latin word aureolus, meaning “golden.” Here’s the popularity graph for Oriole.

Peach
Peach fruits are typically orange. Peach trees are part of the genus Prunus. Here’s the popularity graph for Peach.

Pele
Pele, the Hawaiian word for “lava flow, volcano, eruption,” was the name of the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes. Here’s the popularity graph for Pele.

Pyrrha
Pyrrha is the feminine form of Pyrrhus. Here’s the popularity graph for Pyrrha.

Pyrrhos
Pyrrhos, meaning “flame-colored,” was an Ancient Greek name derived from the word pyr, meaning “fire.”

Pyrrhus
Pyrrhus is the Latinized form of Pyrrhos.

Robin
Robin redbreast originally referred to the Old World songbird Erithacus rubecula, which has orange plumage on the face and breast. “Robin” is a Middle English diminutive of the name Robert. Here’s the popularity graph for Robin.

Roth
Roth comes from a German surname that can be traced back to the Middle High German word rot, meaning “red.” It was originally a nickname for a red-haired person. Here’s the popularity graph for Roth.

Rowan
Rowan is an Anglicized form of Ruadhán. Here’s the popularity graph for Rowan.

Roy
Roy is an Anglicized form of Ruadh. Here’s the popularity graph for Roy.

Ruadh
Ruadh (pronounced roo-ah) means “red” or “red-haired” in Irish and Scottish Gaelic.

Ruadhán
Ruadhán is a diminutive form of Ruadh.

Rufina and Rufino
Rufina (feminine) and Rufino (masculine) are the modern Spanish forms of the Roman family name Rufinus, which was based on Rufus. Here are the popularity graphs for Rufina and Rufino.

Rufus
Rufus derives from the Latin word rufus, meaning “red” or “red-haired.” Here’s the popularity graph for Rufus.

Rusty
Rusty is an adjective referring to rust (iron oxide), which tends to be orange-brown. Here’s the popularity graph for Rusty.

Saffron
Saffron is a spice made from the styles and stigmas of Crocus sativus flowers. By extension, the word — which can be traced back to the Arabic name for the spice, za’faran — also refers to the deep yellowish-orange color of fabrics dyed with saffron. Here’s the popularity graph for Saffron.

Seville
Seville orange is a variety of bitter orange named after the Spanish city of Sevilla. Here’s the popularity graph for Seville.

Shachar
Shachar is a Hebrew gender-neutral name meaning “dawn.”

Shraga
Shraga is an Aramaic masculine name meaning “candle.” Here’s the popularity graph for Shraga.

Shula
Shula is an Arabic feminine name meaning “flame.” Here’s the popularity graph for Shula.

Smith
Smith comes from a surname that originally referred to a metalworker, such as a blacksmith or a farrier. When heated metal (like iron) comes out of a fire to be forged, it’s often glowing a yellowish-orange color. The smith in “blacksmith” is likely derived from the Old English verb smitan, meaning “to smite” or “to strike” (as with a hammer). Here’s the popularity graph for Smith.

Sunrise and Sunset
Sunrise and Sunset are times at which the sun appears reddish-orange. Particles in the Earth’s atmosphere scatter more short-wavelength light than long-wavelength light, so when the sun is low on the horizon — and its light is traveling a longer distance through the atmosphere to reach your eyes — you’ll end up seeing less violet and blue, and more red and orange. Here are the popularity graphs for Sunrise and Sunset

Tangerine
Tangerine fruits are orange. Tangerine trees are part of the genus Citrus. Here’s the popularity graph for Tangerine.

Tawny
Tawny is an adjective that refers to a brownish-orange color. Here’s the popularity graph for Tawny.

Tiger
Tiger (Panthera tigris), the largest living species of cat, has fur that is mostly orange. Here’s the popularity graph for Tiger.

Tigerlily
Tigerlily refers to “tiger lily,” the common name of several species of flowering plant in the genus Lilium — particularly the species Lilium lancifolium — that have showy orange flowers. Here’s the popularity graph for Tigerlily.

Ushas
Ushas, the Sanskrit word for “dawn,” was the name of the Vedic (Hindu) goddess of dawn.

Valencia
Valencia orange is a cultivar of sweet orange named after the Spanish city of València. Here’s the popularity graph for Valencia.

Zinnia
Zinnia flowers are sometimes orange. The genus Zinnia was named in honor of German botanist Johann Gottfried Zinn. Fun fact: An orange zinnia blossomed in space in early 2016! Here’s the popularity graph for Zinnia.

Zora
Zora is a feminine name meaning “dawn” in Serbian, Czech, Croatian, Bulgarian, and other Slavic languages. Here’s the popularity graph for Zora.


Can you think of any other names that have a connection to the color orange?

P.S. Want to see more color-related baby names? Here are lists of red, yellow, green, blue, and purple names.

Sources:

Images:

[Latest update: Dec. 2023]