Meaning & History
Royalty is a rare English first name and surname derived from the English word royalty, itself from Old French reialte and ultimately from Latin regalitas, a derivative of rex — "king". The name directly evokes concepts of sovereignty, nobility, and monarchical power. As a given name, Royalty is most often used for girls, reflecting a modern trend of employing virtue or abstract nouns as names.
While the name is uncommon as a first name, it is better attested as a surname, appearing as a rarely recorded last name in English-speaking countries. The closest related name is Royal, which can be used for either gender, making Royalty a feminized variant in a sense, though Royal is itself also given to girls. The feminine usage of Royalty may be influenced by the popularity of similar word names like Precious and Destiny.
The name Royalty does not have deep historical or religious ties but fits into a contemporary practice of choosing names that convey status, wealth, or aspirational qualities. Modern pop culture and celebrity baby naming, such as the Kardashian family's tendency to pick thematic names, may have contributed to its sparse but growing use. Yet it remains quite rare, not ranking in the US top 1000 most popular names for girls, possibly because it was already a widely used simple English word rather than an obvious name before the turn of the 21st century.
While the name is uncommon as a first name, it is better attested as a surname, appearing as a rarely recorded last name in English-speaking countries. The closest related name is Royal, which can be used for either gender, making Royalty a feminized variant in a sense, though Royal is itself also given to girls. The feminine usage of Royalty may be influenced by the popularity of similar word names like Precious and Destiny.
The name Royalty does not have deep historical or religious ties but fits into a contemporary practice of choosing names that convey status, wealth, or aspirational qualities. Modern pop culture and celebrity baby naming, such as the Kardashian family's tendency to pick thematic names, may have contributed to its sparse but growing use. Yet it remains quite rare, not ranking in the US top 1000 most popular names for girls, possibly because it was already a widely used simple English word rather than an obvious name before the turn of the 21st century.
Etymology
The word comes from Old French reialte, which itself evolved from Latin regalitas — literally denothing "thing property of a king". The first known use as a given name for a human is relatively recent; historically the word referred to royal persons, status, or sometimes metaphorical use like being "treated like royalty". Modern parents may see it as a title or attributive resembling names like Majesty or Regality.Related Names
Variants
Sources: Wiktionary — Royalty