Roya is a distinctive choice, ranked #1406 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only Roya in their class.
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UK Rank 2024
#1406
About the Name Roya
Roya is currently at its most popular point on record, sitting at UK #1406. The name has climbed 636 places in the last five years — a significant surge by any measure. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.
Roya is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Roya
Unlikely. With around 23 UK babies named Roya per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Roya in her class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Roya is currently rising in popularity in the UK, up 636 places over the last five years to #1406 in 2024. If this trend continues, it will become more common in classrooms over the next decade.
Roya is a distinctive choice sitting outside the mainstream UK top names. Parents choosing less common names often find their children appreciate the individuality as they grow up, rarely needing to add an initial to distinguish themselves.
Notable people named Roya include: Roya Arab — Roya Arab is an Iranian-British musician and archaeologist.; Roya Heshmati — Roya Heshmati (Persian: رویا حشمتی), is an Iranian Kurdish activist known for her defiance against the mandatory hijab policy in Iran.; Roya Toloui — Roya Toloui is a prominent Kurdish-Iranian journalist, human rights activist and feminist, currently residing in the US..
Roya does not appear in the US top 1,000 baby names, making it a distinctively British choice — your child is unlikely to encounter American Royas in the wild.
23
UK babies named Roya (2024)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.0
In a school of 600
↑ 636 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Roya
Likely around 1 other Roya in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
No US data available for this name
✨ Similar names to Roya
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Roya Heshmati (Persian: رویا حشمتی), is an Iranian Kurdish activist known for her defiance against the mandatory hijab policy in Iran. Heshmati gained prominence for protesting by refraining from wearing the obligatory hijab in public spaces and sharing a photograph on social media without adhering to this regulation.
Roya Toloui is a prominent Kurdish-Iranian journalist, human rights activist and feminist, currently residing in the US. She was born in Baneh in western Iran.