Looking for a boy’s name that’s radiant and rich in meaning? If so, then you should consider giving your baby boy-to-be a name that starts with the letter R. This letter’s rough, tough, and rugged sound makes it perfect for masculine names, as you can see on our extensive list of boy names starting with R below.
Ryan is a classic boy’s name that continues to make waves well into the 21st century. This name comes from the Emerald Isle and means ‘little king’ and ‘illustrious,’ so it’s no wonder it ranked in the top 100 baby names between 1976 and 2009. Interestingly, though, this name is popular for little girls as well; the 1970s first saw an uptick in baby girls with the name.
Another Irish name we love for boys is Rory. This name means ‘red-haired king,’ and originally comes from the Goidelic language words ‘ruagh’ (i.e. red-haired or rusty) and ‘righ’ (i.e., king). In the U.S., it first entered the list of popular baby names in 1947, but hit its peak long ago in the late 1950s. Parents looking for a retro-inspired baby name can’t go wrong with Rory.
In the Arab world, the name Riad is a beautiful name often given to little boys. It comes from the Arabic meaning ‘meadows’ and ‘gardens,’ so its lovely meaning matches its mellifluous sound. Outside of the Middle East, it was a popular name in France between the 1970s and 1980s. However, it’s yet to really catch on here in the U.S., so consider this name if you’re looking for an original moniker for your little one.
For more resplendent boy names starting with R, check out the list below – it’s really recommended!
Rabi
Meaning: Gentle wind
Origin: Arabic
Rachid
Meaning: Rightly guided
Origin: Arabic
Radames
Meaning: Son Of Ra
Origin: Egyptian
Radbert
Meaning: Bright adviser
Origin: Old English
Radburn
Meaning: Red brook
Origin: Old English
Radek
Meaning: Glad
Origin: Slavic
Radford
Meaning: From the reedy ford
Origin: Old English
Radimir
Meaning: Famous joy
Origin: Slavic
Radley
Meaning: Meadow of reeds
Origin: Old English
Radwan
Meaning: Pleasure, satisfaction
Origin: Arabic
Rafael
Meaning: God has healed
Origin: Spanish/Hebrew
Rafe
Meaning: Counsel of the wolf
Origin: Old German
Rafferty
Meaning: Prosperity wielder
Origin: Irish/Gaelic
Rafi
Meaning: Holding high
Origin: Arabic
Ragnar
Meaning: Judgment warrior
Origin: Old Norse
Rahim
Meaning: Compassionate
Origin: Arabic
Rai
Meaning: Trust; lightning, thunder
Origin: Japanese
Rainart
Meaning: Brave counsel
Origin: Old German
Rajan
Meaning: King
Origin: Hindi
Rajiv
Meaning: Striped
Origin: Hindi
Raleigh
Meaning: Roe deer’s meadow
Origin: Old English
Ralph
Meaning: Wolf counsel
Origin: Old English
Ralston
Meaning: Ralph’s town
Origin: Old English/Scottish
Ram
Meaning: Pleasing; supreme
Origin: Sanskrit/Hebrew
Rami
Meaning: Loving
Origin: Arabic
Ramiro
Meaning: Renowned counselor
Origin: Portuguese/Spanish
Ramsay
Meaning: Garlic island
Origin: Old English
Ramsden
Meaning: Ram valley
Origin: Old English
Ramses
Meaning: Begotten by Ra, the sun god
Origin: Egyptian
Rand
Meaning: Shield
Origin: Old German
Randall
Meaning: Wolf shield
Origin: Old German
Randi
Meaning: Fair, wise judge, wolf shield
Origin: Norwegian/Old German
Ranger
Meaning: Forest guardian
Origin: Old French
Ranjit
Meaning: Influenced by charm
Origin: Hindi/Sanskrit
Rankin
Meaning: Little shield, son of Francis
Origin: Old English/Celtic
Ransford
Meaning: Raven ford
Origin: Old English
Ransley
Meaning: Raven meadow
Origin: Old English
Ransom
Meaning: Warrior’s shield
Origin: Old English
Raphael
Meaning: Healing God
Origin: Hebrew
Rashad
Meaning: Good judgment
Origin: Arabic
Rasmus
Meaning: To love
Origin: Greek
Ravi
Meaning: Sun
Origin: Hindi/Sanskrit
Ray
Meaning: Protecting hands
Origin:English/Old German
Raynor
Meaning: Deciding warrior
Origin: Old German
Raziel
Meaning: The Lord is my secret
Origin: Aramaic
Redley
Meaning: Red meadow
Origin: Old English
Reece
Meaning: Enthusiasm
Origin: Welsh
Refugio
Meaning: Shelter
Origin: Spanish/Latin
Regis
Meaning: Kingly
Origin: Latin
Reilly
Meaning: Outgoing people
Origin: Irish/Gaelic
