Rory
Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Ruairidh and Irish Ruairí (“red-haired king”), from Old Irish Ruaidrí (“red king”).
Every Rory since 1933 — 49,421 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Rory
Rory is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #199 in 2025 with 1,768 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1933, 49,421 American babies have been named Rory — about 73% boys and 27% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2025, when 3,100 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Rory stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Rory year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,332 | #230 | 1,768 | #199 |
| 2024 | 1,105 | #287 | 1,596 | #227 |
| 2023 | 1,006 | #305 | 1,447 | #242 |
| 2022 | 959 | #336 | 1,229 | #280 |
| 2021 | 791 | #399 | 1,135 | #295 |
| 2020 | 675 | #458 | 997 | #330 |
| 2019 | 677 | #459 | 924 | #358 |
| 2018 | 530 | #581 | 884 | #369 |
| 2017 | 534 | #566 | 862 | #380 |
| 2016 | 470 | #637 | 828 | #386 |
| 2015 | 419 | #683 | 853 | #379 |
| 2014 | 330 | #839 | 748 | #417 |
| 2013 | 285 | #900 | 610 | #460 |
| 2012 | 248 | #1,024 | 564 | #481 |
| 2011 | 288 | #910 | 413 | #599 |
| 2010 | 245 | #1,023 | 304 | #748 |
| 2009 | 287 | #934 | 303 | #758 |
| 2008 | 275 | #976 | 281 | #784 |
| 2007 | 245 | #1,073 | 260 | #829 |
| 2006 | 231 | #1,094 | 246 | #830 |
| 2005 | 198 | #1,167 | 283 | #718 |
| 2004 | 201 | #1,139 | 264 | #724 |
| 2003 | 234 | #989 | 316 | #645 |
| 2002 | 187 | #1,119 | 258 | #698 |
| 2001 | 142 | #1,354 | 236 | #741 |
| 2000 | 85 | #1,979 | 290 | #631 |
| 1995 | 30 | #3,650 | 204 | #755 |
| 1990 | 31 | #3,496 | 374 | #512 |
| 1985 | 39 | #2,532 | 502 | #367 |
| 1980 | 28 | #3,117 | 355 | #439 |
| 1975 | 21 | #3,376 | 160 | #648 |
| 1970 | 51 | #1,776 | 281 | #483 |
| 1965 | 5 | #7,305 | 353 | #416 |
| 1960 | 11 | #4,116 | 638 | #311 |
| 1955 | 17 | #2,819 | 375 | #373 |
| 1950 | 41 | #1,448 | 163 | #534 |
| 1945 | — | — | 20 | #1,527 |
| 1940 | — | — | 7 | #3,087 |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Rory
- Rory Gallagher Musician · 1948–1995
- Rory Byrne Engineer · b. 1944
- Rory McCann Actor · b. 1969
- Rory Calhoun Actor · 1922–1999
- Rory Cochrane Actor · b. 1972
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Rory mean?
Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Ruairidh and Irish Ruairí (“red-haired king”), from Old Irish Ruaidrí (“red king”).
How popular is the name Rory in 2025?
Rory ranked #199 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 1,768 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Rory?
49,421 babies have been named Rory in the United States since 1933, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Rory most popular?
Rory peaked in 2025, when 3,100 newborns received the name.
Is Rory a boy or girl name?
Rory is used for both: about 27% of babies named Rory have been girls and 73% boys.
Is the name Rory rising or falling?
Rory is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Rory?
Well-known people named Rory include Rory Gallagher (musician), Rory Byrne (engineer), Rory McCann (actor).