Le prénom Leroy est d'origine anglaise et signifie « le roi » ou « le seigneur ». Il est dérivé de l'ancien nom normand de la famille de Lancastre, qui était Leicester, qui signifie littéralement « le roi du comté ». La famille de Lancastre était une branche importante de la noblesse anglaise et a joué un rôle important dans l'histoire de l'Angleterre. Le prénom Leroy est devenu populaire au Moyen Âge et a été utilisé comme nom de baptême pour les garçons pendant des siècles. Aujourd'hui, il est encore utilisé comme prénom pour les garçons, bien qu'il soit moins courant que par le passé.
The name Leroy has been popular among parents in the United States for over a century. According to statistics from the Social Security Administration, there were 124 babies named Leroy born in 1880, marking the beginning of a steady rise in popularity.
In the following decade, the number of babies named Leroy increased significantly, reaching a peak of 733 births in 1910. This trend continued throughout the early 20th century, with the name remaining consistently popular among parents. Between 1920 and 1945, there were over 3,000 babies named Leroy born each year on average.
However, after World War II, the popularity of the name began to decline. Between 1946 and 1970, the number of babies named Leroy fell steadily, from a high of 2,353 births in 1946 to just 807 births in 1973.
Despite this decline, the name Leroy continued to be used by parents throughout the latter half of the 20th century. Between 1971 and 2000, there were an average of around 250 babies named Leroy born each year.
In recent years, the name Leroy has seen a resurgence in popularity. Between 2001 and 2023, there have been an average of over 200 babies named Leroy born each year. In fact, the most recent data shows that there were 281 babies named Leroy born in 2022 alone.
Overall, since 1880, a total of 200,410 babies have been named Leroy in the United States. This demonstrates that the name has enduring appeal among parents and continues to be popular today.