Gender-neutral names beginning with R
97. Radley
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Red meadow
98. Raven
Origin: English
Meaning: Bird raven
99. Remi (or Remy)
100. Rhys (or Reece/Reese)
101. Ritchie
102. Rickie (or Ricky)
103. Riley
104. River
105. Robbie
106. Robin (Robyn)
Origin: English
Meaning: Bright fame
107. Rowan
Origin: Irish/Scottish
Meaning: Little redhead
108. Rui
Origin: Chinese, Japanese
Meaning: Sharp, Beauty or depth
109. Rumi
110. Ryder
Origin: Old English
Horseman or rider
What Mumsnetters say about gender-neutral baby names beginning with R
“My friend's DD is called Raven, it is a very pretty name.” - Mumsnet user, YouWereGr8InLittleMenstruators
“I know a female Rowan and female Robin.” - Mumsnet user, Sewaccidentprone
How to choose a baby name beginning with R
If you want to choose a popular baby name, check out the official top baby names lists, which all contain several names beginning with R. Look at ONS for names in England and Wales, the National Records of Scotland, Central Statistics Office for Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (nisra.gov.uk) for Northern Ireland.
Look for names beginning with R in Mumsnet’s other baby names articles including most popular baby names, boy names and girl names.
Check what other parents and parents-to-be are saying about names beginning with R in Mumsnet’s Baby Names forum.
Say ‘oui oui’ to French baby names. There are beaucoup de lovely French names beginning with R, including Reeva, Renée, Remi, Remy and Rochelle and Rainier.
Take inspiration from nature-themed names beginning with r - how about Rain, Robyn, Robin or River?
Short, snappy names are a hot naming trend right now. Consider Ruby, Rafe and Rex, which all fit the bill.
What is the best girls’ name that starts with R?
The most popular girls’ name starting with R is a fragrant and enduring classic. Adore the name Rosie? You’re not alone. This beautiful flower name for baby girls is at number 11 in the ONS top 100 list, which means lots of other parents love it too.
If you’d like a rose-themed name which is slightly less well-used, the name Rose stands at number 68 in the ONS list. Rose can also be used as a springboard to other sweet-smelling naming possibilities.
There are many other stunning names which stem (pun intended) from it. Some more unusual Rose offshoot names, which we’ve included in our round-up of best names beginning with R, include: Rosalie, Rosanna, Rosalind, Rosaline, Rosamaria, Rosamund, Rois and Róisín.
What is the best boys’ name that starts with R?
One of the most popular names for boys beginning with R is Rory, a short and striking Irish name which stands at number 38 in the ONS for names in England and Wales, at number 6 the National Records of Scotland list, at number 34 in the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (nisra.gov.uk) for Northern Ireland and at number 74 in the Central Statistics Office list for Republic of Ireland.
The name Rory is a variant on the traditional Gaelic spelling Ruairí and other spelling variations include Ruaidrhí, Rhuari, Roary and Rorey. With the meaning ‘red king’ you couldn’t choose a more regal name for your very own little prince.
What is a rare R name?
A rare R name for girls, Rue is a French baby name currently outside the top 1000 in the ONS chart. It is, however, rising steadily in popularity, possibly being chosen by parents who love the girl name Ruby (currently at number 30 in the ONS list) and want something which sounds similar but is less well-used.
If you’re looking for a rare but stylish name for your little boy, how about Roscoe? Currently standing outside the top 500 in the ONS list for England and Wales, it’s undeniably unusual but sounds fashionable and modern because it jumps on the ‘two syllable names ending with o’ trend (think Arlo and Milo). It also sounds like the more popular Rocco, which is outside the top 100.
The gender-neutral name Remy (Remi is an alternative spelling) is a good example of a previously rare baby naming choice which suddenly finds itself in favour with new parents. This unisex name, with roots in both France and Nigeria, hits the short, cute name trend, as it’s made up of just four letters and two syllables. While it doesn’t yet appear in any of the official ‘most popular’ lists, both spellings of the name have grown dramatically in popularity for both boys and girls. For example, for boys, Remy ranked at 148 in 2021, having risen sharply in popularity in England and Wales since 2017 (to put it into context, it was at 898 in 1996. For girls, the Remi spelling is more popular and has zoomed up to 174, from 484 in 1996. Mumsnet user, MamaBear54321 says: “It’s such a gorgeous name and gender-neutral too.”
About the author
Louise Baty writes parenting content for Mumsnet, producing product round-ups, travel guides and baby name articles. She’s also written content for Mumsnet’s sister site, Gransnet.
Originally from West Yorkshire and now based in Nottinghamshire, Louise has worked as a features writer for consumer magazines and national newspapers for 20 years. She specialises in parenting and lifestyle features and emotional true life first-person interviews and has authored four non-fiction books on parenting and grandparenting.
Mum to two tweenagers, Louise’s own baby name choosing days may be long gone. However, she admits to having spent a LONG time deciding on her DCs’ names, together with her DP.
For this reason, Louise has a particular interest in baby names. She understands how difficult it can be to narrow down a short list from your long list of baby names, either during pregnancy or during the sleep-deprived days following the birth of your baby.
By compiling comprehensive and easy-to-follow baby name round-ups for Mumsnet, she hopes to provide inspiration and support to parents-to-be who are looking for the perfect name for their baby.