Rory
/ˈrɔːri/
A Gaelic name meaning “red king”
Irish and Scottish Gaelic · from Gaelic ruadh and rígh
It means “red king”, and real Irish kings carried it. 1,768 boys were given the name in 2025, up from fewer than 1,000 a year before 2021.
Rory at a glance
What Rory means
A Gaelic name meaning “red king” — from Gaelic ruadh and rígh
Rory is an English form of Gaelic names and means “red king”, built from ruadh, red, and rígh, king. It is common among the Irish, the Highland Scots and their descendants abroad.
Early bearers were real rulers. Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair was a twelfth-century King of Connacht and the last High King of Ireland, and Rory O’Donnell (1575–1608) was King and Earl of Tyrconnell.
In recent decades Rory has also been used for girls, especially in the United States, where the use for girls has grown since the early 2000s, so the name now belongs to both.
In the Social Security files Rory first appears in 1933, but it stayed under 100 boys a year until 1948. It passed 1,000 in 2021. It is at its highest yet: #199 in 2025 with 1,768 boys.
Source and context
The name history comes from Wikipedia, the people from linked Wikipedia pages, and every number from US Social Security data. We rewrite everything in our own words.
- Paragraph 1 Wikipedia: Rory (given name)
- Paragraph 2 Wikipedia: Rory (given name)
- Paragraph 3 Wikipedia: Rory (given name)
- Paragraph 4 US Social Security Administration
- Note Wikipedia: Rory (given name)
The numbers behind Rory
A look at the rankings over time and across places.
Two popularity paths for Rory
How Rory ranks among girls and boys’ names each year, 2015 to 2025. A lower number means more popular.
Among girls, Rory’s rank climbed from #683 in 2015 to #230 in 2025, and 2025 is its best year in this ten-year view.
Among boys, Rory’s rank climbed from #379 in 2015 to #199 in 2025, and 2025 is its best year in this ten-year view.
Milestones on the way up
- 1948First 100 boys
122 boys - 1953First top 500
#480 among boys · 214 boys - 2021Passed 1,000
1,135 boys · rank #295 - 2025Most babies
1,768 boys · rank #199
States where Rory ranks highest
Ranked by how popular Rory is among boys’ names in each state in 2025 (in-state rank, not births per head). Massachusetts ranks Rory highest (#58 among boys), then Connecticut (#99) and New Hampshire (#109). Wisconsin, Maine, Illinois, Minnesota and Montana complete the top eight.
- 1Massachusetts#58
- 2Connecticut#99
- 3New Hampshire#109
- 4Wisconsin#113
- 5Maine#115
- 6Illinois#120
- 7Minnesota#123
- 8Montana#125
Rory across the decades
Babies named Rory in the US each year, 1880 to 2025.
Rare until 2021,
then climbing to #199.
First recorded in 1933. It reached 853 in 2015, passed 1,000 boys in 2021 and stood at 1,768 in 2025.
Source: US Social Security Administration, national baby name data, 1880–2025. Calculation: NameMochi.
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The story around Rory
Notable people and namesakes
Early and historical bearers include the King and Earl of Tyrconnell Rory O’Donnell (1575–1608). More recent bearers include the last High King of Ireland Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair (twelfth century).
Rory in pop culture
Gilmore Girls TV series
Lorelai “Rory” Gilmore is a character in the series.
Doctor Who TV series
Rory Williams is a character in the series.
Names like Rory
Other short modern names, and names that share a Gaelic feel.
Compare names
Four names compared here, ranked among boys: Rowan (#59), River (#111), Rory (#199), Sage (#456). All of them have gained ground since 2015.
| Name | Style | Latest rank | Change since 2015 | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rory | Gaelic · Two syllables · Modern | #199 | ↑ 180 places | Rising fast |
| Rowan | Tree name | #59 | ↑ 160 places | Rising fast |
| River | Water name | #111 | ↑ 133 places | Rising, off its peak |
| Sage | Herb name | #456 | ↑ 191 places | Rising, off its peak |
Change is the move in rank since 2015, so a name can climb in rank while fewer babies are given it.
Stage compares the number of babies named in 2025 with 2015 (rising or cooling at 25% or more, fast at 50% or more).
What draws people to Rory
- A Gaelic name with a regal meaning.Our view
- Short, friendly and easy to say.Our view
- About 1,800 boys were given the name in 2025.From the data
- Shared across genders: 57% of Rorys are boys and 43% girls.From the data
- Familiar from books and television.Our view
Common questions about Rory
Is Rory a boy’s name or a girl’s name?
Rory is used for both girls and boys, though mostly boys. In 2025, 57% of babies named Rory were boys (1,768) and 43% were girls (1,332). It ranks #199 for boys and #230 for girls.
What does Rory mean?
Rory is an English form of the Irish Ruairí and the Scottish Gaelic Ruairidh. It means “red king”, from ruadh, red, and rígh, king.
How common is the name Rory?
Uncommon but no longer rare. In 2025, 3,100 American babies were named Rory, so it is not common in most classrooms.
Is Rory still rising?
Rory is at its highest yet, with 1,768 boys in 2025. Over ten years it is still up 144%.
Who are some people named Rory?
Examples include Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair, the last High King of Ireland, and Rory O’Donnell, King and Earl of Tyrconnell. In television, Rory Gilmore appears in Gilmore Girls and Rory Williams in Doctor Who.
Rory is a Gaelic name for a red king. See more names on the rise →
How these numbers are built
Sources → Calculations → Limitations
Sources
- The US Social Security Administration’s national and state baby name files, built from Social Security card applications for births in the United States.SSA baby name data
- Data year
- Births through 2025. New data arrives each May, and we recalculate this page then.
- Dates
- Published October 2026. Last updated October 2026.
- Word and history sources
- Name history and the people who share the name come from reference works.Wikipedia: Rory (given name)Wikipedia: Gilmore Girls
Calculations
- Ranks
- A rank is the name’s position among girls or among boys in the SSA file for that year (most babies = #1). Girls and boys are ranked separately.
- Counts
- Babies given exactly this spelling. Spelling variants are counted separately.
- Growth, peaks, milestones, shares and comparisons are calculated by NameMochi from those files.How NameMochi calculates
- Stat cards
- The five cards are the most informative facts available for this name, picked by a score and shown in a fixed order.
Limitations
- US births only. The files record the sex shown on the application, which says nothing about how a child later identifies. Names given to fewer than five babies in a year are left out.
Source: US Social Security Administration. Calculation: NameMochi.