Given name & surname
Rory
“the red queen”·“a red-haired man”
Rory is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “the red queen” and “a red-haired man”. These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “the red queen” and “a red-haired man”. These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
In English use, Rory is a diminutive of Aurora. An origin associated with Aurora is Latin. In English use, Rory is a diminutive of Roderick. An origin associated with Roderick is Germanic.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English usage, Rory is a diminutive of Roderick. In English usage, Rory developed from Ruaidrí.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1933. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English use, Rory is a diminutive of Aurora. The history of Aurora gives this family its wider story. In mythological stories, Aurora is associated with the goddess of the dawn. In English use, Rory is a diminutive of Roderick. The history of Roderick gives this family its wider story. Walter Scott’s The Vision of Don Roderick helped revive the name in the nineteenth century, using it for the Spanish king Rodrigo. Roderick has also served as an English rendering of Gaelic Ruairidh and Welsh Rhydderch, without making those names etymologically identical.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Rory through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 49,421
- 35,841 boys · 13,580 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 3,100 babies
- 2025
- 3,100
- #199 for boys · #230 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +68%
- Rising fast
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 59% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 1,768 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 199 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 59.6% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 1,332 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (138). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 32,392 as a first name in 2020; 115 as a surname in 2000.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Rory’s family of names
In English usage, Rory is a diminutive of Roderick. In English usage, Rory developed from the Old Irish form Ruaidrí. In English usage, Rory has a related form in Rori.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Rory has relatives in 8 languages. Lines run from its Irish roots to each of them.
Irishwhere Rory comes from · 1 name
Nicknames & forms 18
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 13
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Rogerequivalent
- Roranequivalent
- Roaryequivalent
- RodrigueFrench
- Rhoriequivalent
- RhodriWelsh
- Scottishoriginal
- Ruairísource · Irish
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People named Rory
- Rory GallagherIrish guitarist (1948–1995)
- Rory McIlroyNorthern Irish professional golfer (born 1989)
- Rory CulkinAmerican actorborn 1989
- Rag'n'Bone ManBritish blues and soul singerborn 1985
- Rory DelapIrish association football playerborn 1976
- Rory CochraneAmerican actorborn 1972
- Rory KinnearEnglish actor (born 1978)
- Rory McCannScottish actorborn 1969
- Rory StewartBritish independent politicianborn 1973
Characters named Rory: Rory Williams (the TV series Doctor Who).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Rory, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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“having a crooked mouth”
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Bowie
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