Roe
English, Scottish, Irish, Norwegian, or Korean surname
"roe deer; wise protector; son of Ruadh; red; clearing; ability"Share
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Roe Origin and Meaning
The name Roe is a girl's name meaning "roe deer; wise protector; son of Ruadh; red; clearing; ability".
In the US, the multicultural surname Roe is primarily associated with the landmark Supreme Court case Roe vs. Wade, which granted the federal right to abortion, though elsewhere it might be associated with fish eggs or a small breed of reddish deer.
The name itself has a number of possible origins, including: from a Proto-Indo-European word rei meaning "streaked, striped"; a Middle English variant of Ray; a Norwegian name meaning "clearing"; an Irish surname linked to Ruadh meaning "red", or a Korean surname, possibly meaning "thunder" or "ability".
It's never been popular as a given name but is seen as a nickname for names such as Monroe, Roscoe, and Rowan. Soundalike Rowe is used slightly more often.
20 Names Similar to Roe
These 20 names were selected by our users that were looking for other names like Roe.
Famous People Named Roe
- (Lacy) Roe CampbellAmerican male football player
Roe in Pop Culture
- Aurora "Roe" Teagardenmain character in mystery novels by Charlaine Harris
- Roe v. WadeSupreme Court case that legalized abortion in the United States
- Roeterm for fish eggs