Baby boy names that start with R can be classic (even ancient), trendy, or both. So from the unique to the all-American, we’ve tracked down more than fifty of our favorite R names for boys, and their meanings too.
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In this article 📝
- What is the most popular R name for boys?
- What are some more boy names that start with R?
- The raddest and baddest R names for boys
What is the most popular R name for boys?
According to the Social Security Administration, the most popular R baby boy names are, in order of popularity:
See Also
140 Strong Boy Names That Start With R: For Righteous MenNames That Start With R - Meaningful Ideas For Boys & Girls- Ryan: A classic Gaelic name meaning “little king”.
- Roman: From Hebrew, meaning “strong”.
- Robert: There are lots of ways to shorten this Germanic classic, which means “bright glory”.
- Rowan: Meaning “red-haired” in English and Irish.
- Ryker: This name has its roots in Scandinavian languages and old German, where it means either “brave power” or “rich”.
- Richard: This classic R boys name means “rich”.
- Rafael: A variation from Spain, Italy, and Portugal on the Hebrew name, Raphael, which means “God has healed”.
- Riley: Today Riley is popular as a unisex R name. It originally means “rye clearing” in old English.
- Ronan: An Irish name meaning “little seal”, or “oath”.
- Raymond: Everybody loves Raymond, which we’re guessing is why it has remained popular for decades. It means “wise protector” in its original Germanic form.
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What are some more boy names that start with R?
- Reid: A Scottish surname meaning “red” and now a popular first name for boys and girls too.
- Rylan: Meaning either “island meadow”, or “from the rye land”.
- Rory: Another Celtic classic meaning “red king”. In Gaelic, it’s more commonly spelled Ruaridh (ROO-ree), but you can also take your pick from Ruairidh, Ruairi, Ruaraidh, Ruari, Ruaidri, Ruariadh, Ruary, Ruiridh, Ruraidh, Ruraigh, Rury, and Rori.
- Ricardo: A Latin version of Richard. If you know your little peanut is going to be more of a Rick or Ricky than a Rich or Richie, this might be the name for you.
- Remy: One of a couple of beautifully simple French R baby boy names meaning “oarsman”. The other is Remi.
- Russell: Some say French, some say English, some say Norse. But whatever the origin, the meaning of this timeless name is always “red-haired”. It also gets contracted to Russ or Rush, for short.
- Romeo: An Italian and Shakespearean classic.
- Ronin: A variation on Ronan.
- Raiden: One of the most unique R names for a boy, which traces its origins to Japan. It refers to the mythical god of thunder and lightning. This can also be spelled Rayden.
- Royce: Just rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it? Thought to be from old English, meaning “rose”.
- Rhys: A timeless Welsh classic, it means “passion” or “enthusiasm”.
- Roberto: The Italian version of Robert.
- Reed: A natural, rivery twist on Reid.
- Ruben: A modern spelling of Reuben, the Hebrew name that means “Behold, a son”.
- Rocco: Of Italian origin, meaning “restful”.
- Ryland: Another Old English name for the land of rye.
- Rowen: Of Irish origin, another strong name meaning “red-haired”.
- Ronald: An old Scandinavian name meaning “advice”.
- Raul: A common Spanish and Portuguese boy name starting with R, which references both “wise counsel” and “a wolf”.
- Roland: Meaning “renowned throughout the land” or simply “famed land”.
- Roy: Gaelic? Yes. An R boys’ name? Yes. Its meaning? You’ve guessed it: “red-haired”. But, before you move on looking for something more powerful, it also has roots in the Old French, for “king”.
- Rodrigo: Another popular Latin twist on an old German name, this time Roderick, which means “great renown”.
- Reece: Or Reese, a more international spelling of the Welsh name Rhys.
- Ridge: Old English name for a boy born on a – you guessed it – a ridge.
- Reign: An unusual male name starting with R, meaning “rule” or “sovereign”.
- Roger: An endlessly popular R boys’ name throughout the ages, from old French, but probably going back further to the ancient Germanic tribes of northern Europe. It means “ famous spear”.
- Ramon: Spanish and Portuguese variation of Raymond, meaning “wise protector”.
- Ro: Anglo-Saxon, also meaning “red-haired”.
- Rohan: A variation on Rowan, which also has some serious Lord of the Rings vibes.
- Rocky: In old German, this name actually means “rest”, but since the ‘70s, no R boy names conjure up images of strength, power, and running up stairs more than this.
- Rudy: An American shortening of the old Germanic Rudolf, meaning “famed wolf”.
- Randy: From Randolf or Randall, this is an old English name meaning “protector” or “house wolf”.
- Rodney: While this name from old English is still on the top 1,000, it has been dropping.
- Robin: A diminutive of Robert, also meaning “fame bright” or “bright glory”. This is also a great male name starting with R for a boy born around Christmas.
- Rey: Of Spanish origin, meaning “king”.
- Riggs: An old English name for someone who lived on a Ridge, we love this ancient but slightly unusual R boys’ name.
- Rome: The eternal city, the seat of empire, the heart of Western civilization.
- Rene: A timeless, simple French boy name that starts with R, meaning “rebirth”.
- Reginald: Reggie for short? This name means “advisor to the king”.
- Regilio: A Spanish twist on the ancient German and more familiar R boys’ name, Roger, which means “well-known or renowned spearman.”
The raddest and baddest R names for boys
Now that we’ve covered the most popular, what are some unique R names for your little boy?
- Ra: The Egyptian sun god. A short name for sure, but it sends shivers down the spine, doesn’t it?
- Ramses: If you like the ancient Egypt theme, but want something a little less monosyllabic, you could go for Ramses (also spelled Rameses).
- Ranger: A more rooted and earthy name, perhaps for a son destined to live the spirit of the wilderness.
- Remington: If you love westerns, saloons, and all American brands, Remington could be a powerful choice.
- Rex: This Latin word for “king” is also fast climbing the ranks of popular R boys’ names. You couldn’t get more regal…
- Royal: …We spoke too soon.
- Rhett: “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.” If it’s old-school Hollywood you’re looking for, look no further than this beautiful name, originally from Dutch, which means “advice”.
- River: One of many nature names you could consider for your little one.
- Ryder: An old English name meaning “horseman”.
Try some of these baby name guides for more inspiration:
90 Baby Boy Names that Start with A
64 Boy Names that Start With B
61 Boy Names That Start With C
106 Baby Boy Names That Start With D
75 Baby Boy Names That Start With E
51 Baby Boy Names That Start With F
89 Baby Boy Names That Start With G
88 Baby Boy Names That Start With H
35 Baby Boy Names That Start With I
79 Boy Names that Start with J
Baby Boy Names That Start With K
85 Baby Boy Names that Start With L
53 Magnificent Boy Names That Start With M
32 Nifty Baby Boy Names that Start with N
39 Baby Boy Names That Start With O
31 Baby Boy Names that Start with P
36 Baby Boy Names That Start With Q
113 Baby Boy Names that Start With T
38 Boy Names That Start With U
155 Baby Boy Names That Start With V
72 Baby Boy Names That Start With W
57 Baby Boy Names that Start With X
80 Baby Boy Names that Start With Y
72 Boy Names That Start With Z
