Rory
Boy · ROR-ee · Irish
Rory is a boys' name of Irish origin, meaning “red king”. In 2025 it ranked 17th for boys in the UK (2,132 babies) and 199th for boys in the US (1,768 babies).
What does Rory mean?
Irish: anglicised form of Irish Ruaidhrí and Scottish Gaelic Ruairidh
“red king”
Ruaidhrí Ua Conchobair (Rory O'Connor), in the 12th century, was the last High King of Ireland.
- Say it
- ROR-ee
More on Wiktionary.
Is Rory a girl's or a boy's name?
Rory is a boys' name. In 2025, it was given to 30 girls and 2,132 boys in the UK and 1,332 girls and 1,768 boys in the US.
How popular is Rory in the UK?
- Rank in 2025
- #17among boys
- Babies in 2025
- 2,132about 1 in 140 boys
- Five-year trend
- Steadyup 17% in five years
- Same name in a class
- 9.5%chance among 15 boys
In 2025, 2,132 boys in the UK were named Rory, making it the 17th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 37th. 30 girls were also named Rory in 2025 (1,163rd for girls).
It has been given to more boys each year for the last 3 years. 2025 had the most boys named Rory of any year since the records began in 1996.
Half of all the boys named Rory in the UK since 1996 were born between 2008 and 2021. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier boys aren't counted.
Among boys in 2025, it was 17th in England and Wales, 3rd in Scotland and 20th in Northern Ireland.
In the England and Wales top 100 for boys, which the ONS has published every ten years since 1904: 2014 (#87) and 2024 (#24).
Rory in the UK, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,132 | #17 |
| 2024 | 1,917 | #22 |
| 2023 | 1,782 | #28 |
| 2022 | 1,750 | #31 |
| 2021 | 1,786 | #36 |
| 2020 | 1,646 | #37 |
| 2019 | 1,687 | #41 |
| 2018 | 1,657 | #42 |
| 2017 | 1,491 | #46 |
| 2016 | 1,114 | #64 |
| 2015 | 1,189 | #61 |
| 2014 | 1,033 | #75 |
| 2013 | 876 | #83 |
| 2012 | 944 | #81 |
| 2011 | 868 | #87 |
| 2010 | 693 | #107 |
| 2009 | 659 | #107 |
| 2008 | 595 | #112 |
| 2007 | 661 | #106 |
| 2006 | 619 | #108 |
| 2005 | 543 | #117 |
| 2004 | 538 | #119 |
| 2003 | 559 | #109 |
| 2002 | 487 | #116 |
| 2001 | 491 | #111 |
| 2000 | 563 | #106 |
| 1999 | 666 | #91 |
| 1998 | 672 | #94 |
| 1997 | 739 | #89 |
| 1996 | 726 | #85 |
How popular is Rory in the US?
- Rank in 2025
- #199among boys
- Babies in 2025
- 1,768about 1 in 970 boys
- Five-year trend
- Risingup 72% in five years
- Same name in a class
- 1.4%chance among 15 boys
In 2025, 1,768 boys in the US were named Rory, making it the 199th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 330th. It first appears in the records in 1933. 1,332 girls were also named Rory in 2025 (230th for girls).
It has been given to more boys each year for the last 9 years. 2025 had the most boys named Rory of any year since it first appeared, in 1933.
Half of all the boys named Rory in the US since 1880 were born between 1976 and 2019, the years shaded on the chart below.
In 2025, 43% of the babies named Rory in the US were girls.
Rory in the US, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,768 | #199 |
| 2024 | 1,596 | #227 |
| 2023 | 1,447 | #242 |
| 2022 | 1,229 | #280 |
| 2021 | 1,135 | #295 |
| 2020 | 997 | #330 |
| 2019 | 924 | #358 |
| 2018 | 884 | #368 |
| 2017 | 862 | #379 |
| 2016 | 828 | #386 |
| 2015 | 853 | #379 |
| 2014 | 748 | #415 |
| 2013 | 610 | #459 |
| 2012 | 564 | #481 |
| 2011 | 413 | #599 |
| 2010 | 304 | #746 |
| 2009 | 303 | #755 |
| 2008 | 281 | #783 |
| 2007 | 260 | #825 |
| 2006 | 246 | #827 |
| 2005 | 283 | #717 |
| 2004 | 264 | #722 |
| 2003 | 316 | #645 |
| 2002 | 258 | #697 |
| 2001 | 236 | #739 |
| 2000 | 290 | #631 |
| 1999 | 287 | #627 |
| 1998 | 302 | #608 |
| 1997 | 240 | #677 |
| 1996 | 242 | #675 |
| 1995 | 204 | #747 |
| 1994 | 223 | #696 |
| 1993 | 228 | #680 |
| 1992 | 273 | #623 |
| 1991 | 333 | #555 |
| 1990 | 374 | #511 |
| 1989 | 396 | #480 |
| 1988 | 406 | #447 |
| 1987 | 390 | #448 |
| 1986 | 444 | #406 |
| 1985 | 502 | #365 |
| 1984 | 549 | #341 |
| 1983 | 535 | #341 |
| 1982 | 735 | #281 |
| 1981 | 426 | #393 |
| 1980 | 355 | #438 |
| 1979 | 342 | #433 |
| 1978 | 418 | #376 |
| 1977 | 538 | #335 |
| 1976 | 240 | #519 |
| 1975 | 160 | #645 |
| 1974 | 167 | #622 |
| 1973 | 131 | #700 |
| 1972 | 187 | #583 |
| 1971 | 204 | #573 |
| 1970 | 281 | #481 |
| 1969 | 351 | #422 |
| 1968 | 171 | #578 |
| 1967 | 202 | #525 |
| 1966 | 255 | #481 |
| 1965 | 353 | #415 |
| 1964 | 366 | #424 |
| 1963 | 386 | #410 |
| 1962 | 508 | #349 |
| 1961 | 507 | #351 |
| 1960 | 638 | #311 |
| 1959 | 802 | #280 |
| 1958 | 486 | #347 |
| 1957 | 476 | #345 |
| 1956 | 511 | #327 |
| 1955 | 375 | #372 |
| 1954 | 297 | #415 |
| 1953 | 214 | #477 |
| 1952 | 163 | #545 |
| 1951 | 134 | #600 |
| 1950 | 163 | #527 |
| 1949 | 150 | #543 |
| 1948 | 122 | #615 |
| 1947 | 73 | #804 |
| 1946 | 36 | #1,156 |
| 1945 | 20 | #1,493 |
| 1944 | 14 | #1,889 |
| 1943 | 14 | #1,985 |
| 1942 | 16 | #1,799 |
| 1941 | 10 | #2,333 |
| 1940 | 7 | #2,871 |
| 1939 | 5 | #3,479 |
| 1938 | 0 | – |
| 1937 | 0 | – |
| 1936 | 0 | – |
| 1935 | 0 | – |
| 1934 | 0 | – |
| 1933 | 5 | #3,640 |
Names like Rory
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Rowan Brody Sonny Reggie Finn Ronnie Roman Cody Jude Vinnie Teddy Tommy
Other spellings of Rory
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