Royce is a distinctive boys' name in United States, ranking #807 in 1996 with 179 recorded births. The name reached its all-time peak in 2021 with 809 births ranking #392. In 1996, approximately 1 in every 10,582 boys born was named Royce. FALLING Recent data shows the name is currently falling.
Royce comes from an English surname derived from the medieval given name Royse, itself a variant of Rose. That gives the name an old floral root beneath its polished surname-style surface.
Its modern use as a first name follows the wider English habit of turning surnames into given names. The one-syllable sound helps it feel crisp and modern even though the root is older.