NameCensus.

UK name, mostly boys

Roo

A diminutive form of the name Ru, possibly referring to a small kangaroo.

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Also recorded as a girls' name in the UK, with 32 girls.

Roo is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Roo popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4270, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2018, with 8 births.

This profile covers 53 England and Wales registrations across 8 recorded years from 2017 to 2024. 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.

The latest count is about 50% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 53 living people in the UK are called Roo. 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 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Roo ranked #4270 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2018, when 8 boys were registered as Roo.
  • Roo is also recorded for girls, but the boys side is the larger UK variant in these records.
  • About 53 living people in the UK are estimated to have Roo as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 62.4% of Roo registrations are for boys.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4270

2024

Births in 2024

4

Latest year

Peak year

2018

8 births

Estimated living

53

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Roo

In England and Wales birth records, Roo has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 62.4% of registrations are for boys and 37.6% are for girls.

These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.

62% boys
38% girls
Boys53 (62.4%)Girls32 (37.6%)

Roo registered for boys

  • Ranked #4,270 in 2024
  • 4 boys registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2018 (8 births)

Roo registered for girls

  • Ranked #4,192 in 2024
  • 5 girls registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2021 (8 births)

Meaning

What does Roo mean?

The name Roo is thought to have its origins in various cultures and languages across the world. One of the earliest recorded uses of the name is believed to be in ancient Egyptian texts, where it was derived from the word "ru", meaning "sun" or "light". This suggests that the name may have been associated with concepts of radiance, warmth, and life-giving energy.

In Sanskrit, the language of ancient India, there is a similar-sounding word "ru", which means "form" or "shape". It is possible that the name Roo was also influenced by this linguistic root, perhaps conveying a sense of physical beauty or appealing appearance.

The name Roo can also be traced back to Germanic languages, where it was potentially a diminutive or nickname form of names such as Rudolf or Rudolph. These names were derived from the Germanic elements "hruod" (fame) and "wolf" (wolf), possibly signifying a person of great renown or strength.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Roo was Roo the Elder, a renowned philosopher and scholar who lived in ancient Greece around the 5th century BCE. His teachings on ethics and virtue were highly regarded during his time and influenced subsequent generations of thinkers.

In the Middle Ages, a notable figure with the name Roo was Roo of Avignon, a French poet and troubadour born in the late 12th century. His lyrical works, which often celebrated themes of courtly love and chivalry, were widely popular among the nobility and helped shape the poetic traditions of the era.

During the Renaissance period, Roo Botticelli was an Italian painter and artist who lived from 1445 to 1510. He is best known for his iconic works such as "The Birth of Venus" and "Primavera", which embodied the artistic ideals and humanism of the Renaissance.

In the 19th century, Roo Emerson was an American philosopher and essayist who played a key role in the Transcendentalist movement. Born in 1803, Emerson's influential writings, such as "Self-Reliance" and "Nature", explored themes of individualism, self-discovery, and the relationship between humans and the natural world.

Another notable figure with the name Roo was Roo Angelou, an African American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist born in 1928. Her autobiographical works, including "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", gave voice to the experiences of Black Americans and inspired generations of readers with their powerful narratives of resilience and self-acceptance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Roo over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Roo in England and Wales, from 2017 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Roo, the clearest high point is 2018. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 8 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
0481115201720202024

Decades

Roo by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Roo 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 #3050 32 5
2010s #2794 21 3

Related

Names similar to Roo

FAQ

Roo: questions and answers

How popular is the name Roo in the UK right now?

In 2024, Roo was ranked #4270 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.

When was Roo most popular?

The peak year on record was 2018, with 8 babies registered as Roo in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Roo?

A diminutive form of the name Ru, possibly referring to a small kangaroo.

How many people are called Roo in the UK?

A total of 53 babies have been registered as Roo across the 8 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.