Rory is a unisex name with a modern feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Rory means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Rory across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Rory has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Rory is a unisex name of Irish (Gaelic) origin meaning “red king”. From the Irish name Ruaidhri.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 49,421 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 22,287 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 7,051 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 1,641 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 6,508 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 220 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Rory per year, United States (1933 to 2025). United States peaked in 2025 (3,100/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2025 (1,785/yr) · Scotland peaked in 2025 (306/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2012 (200/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2006 (81/yr).
Rory has been a fairly common baby name in the United States. It was most common in 2025, when it ranked #198 nationally (given to 5,284 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 2020s.
Rori · Rorie · Rorry · Rorey · Rari · Rury · Roary · Roree
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