UK boy's name
Roby
Roby is a masculine name of likely French origin meaning "famous wolf".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Roby is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Roby popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2160, with 10 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 10 births.
This profile covers 31 England and Wales registrations across 7 recorded years from 2012 to 2023. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
Roby is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 31 living people in the UK are called Roby. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Roby ranked #2160 for boys in England and Wales in 2023, with 10 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2023, when 10 boys were registered as Roby.
- • About 31 living people in the UK are estimated to have Roby as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2160
2023
Births in 2023
10
Latest year
Peak year
2023
10 births
Estimated living
31
2026
Meaning
What does Roby mean?
The name Roby is a diminutive form of the Germanic name Robert, which is derived from the Old High German name Hruodberht. This name is composed of the elements hruod, meaning "fame" or "renown," and berht, meaning "bright" or "shining." The name Robert, and its variant forms, gained widespread popularity across Europe during the Middle Ages.
The name Roby likely originated as a nickname or abbreviated form of Robert, with the first syllable being dropped. This type of name shortening was common in various languages and cultures, as people sought to create more informal or affectionate versions of longer names.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Roby can be found in English historical records from the 13th century, where it appears as a surname. It is believed that this surname may have been derived from the given name Roby, which was in use at the time.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Roby. One of the earliest examples is Roby Kennicott (1838-1866), an American explorer and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of natural history in the Arctic regions.
Another notable figure was Roby Courtney (1848-1915), an English cricketer who played for the Marylebone Cricket Club and represented England in several matches against Australia in the late 19th century.
In the field of literature, Roby Kidd (1918-2008) was a Canadian author and journalist known for his works on Canadian culture and society, including the book "The Huddled Masses: The Immigrant in Canada."
Roby Davison (1921-2002) was an American filmmaker and documentarian who produced and directed several award-winning films, including the 1972 documentary "Reflections on a Life."
More recently, Roby Brooks (born 1968) is an American singer-songwriter and musician who has released several albums and has been active in the country and Americana music scenes.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the name Roby throughout history, each making their mark in various fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of cultural and historical significance associated with this name.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Roby over time
The chart below shows babies named Roby registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2012 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Roby, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 10 births in 2023, compared with 10 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Roby by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Roby was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #3475 | 13 | 2 |
| 2010s | #4260 | 18 | 5 |
Related
Names similar to Roby
- Ryan 68,692
- Riley 37,992
- Robert 27,462
- Reuben 25,122
- Rhys 24,418
- Reece 24,329
- Rory 21,870
- Roman 16,609
- Ronnie 16,445
- Reggie 14,684
- Rowan 14,371
- Ralph 8,892
FAQ
Roby: questions and answers
How popular is the name Roby in the UK right now?
In 2023, Roby was ranked #2160 for boys in England and Wales, with 10 births registered.
When was Roby most popular?
The peak year on record was 2023, with 10 babies registered as Roby in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Roby?
Roby is a masculine name of likely French origin meaning "famous wolf".
How many people are called Roby in the UK?
A total of 31 babies have been registered as Roby across the 7 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.