Rory is a given name of Gaelic origin. It is an anglicisation of the Irish: Ruairí/Ruaidhrí and Scottish Gaelic: Ruairidh/Ruaraidh and is common to the Irish, Highland Scots and their diasporas. The meaning of the name is "red king", composed of ruadh ("red") and rígh ("king").
In Ireland and Scotland, it is generally seen as a masculine name and therefore rarely given to females.
History
An early use of the name in antiquity is in reference to Rudraige mac Sithrigi, a High King of Ireland who eventually spawned the Ulaid (indeed, this tribe are sometimes known as Clanna Rudhraighe). Ruadrí mac Domnall was the grandfather of famous Scottish king Macbeth and the eponymous founder of Clann Ruaidrí (House of Moray). Throughout the Middle Ages, the name was in use by various kings, such as Ruaidrí mac Fáeláin, Ruaidrí na Saide Buide and Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair, the last High King of Ireland. As well as this, Ruairí Óg Ó Mórdha, the famous King of Laois, and his nephew Ruairí Ó Mórdha, who was a leader in the Irish Rebellion of 1641, held the name, and Ruaidrí Ó Domhnaill, King of Tyrconnell of the O'Donnell dynasty who was deeply involved in the saga known as the Flight of the Earls.
Rory has seen increasing use in females since the early 2000s, especially in the United States, where it became among the top 1000 female baby names in 2003. As of 2022, Rory ranked 280th in popularity for males and 335th for females in the US. A similar trend can be observed in Canada, where the name has seen increasing use in females since 2001 and especially 2015.
Rory can alternatively be a nickname for "Aurora" or "Lorelai".
Variations
The standard Scottish Gaelic pronunciation is /ˈruə̯.rʲɪ/, and in Munster Irish /rəiˈrʲiː/. In English, it is typically pronounced as English: (ROR-ee). In Classical Gaelic, the name was written Ruaidhrigh, and in Old Irish Ruaidríg /ruaðʲr͈ʲiːʝʲ/ (Proto Celtic *roudo-riks). There are numerous other recorded variations of the name such as Ruaidrí, Ruaidhrí, Ruairdhrí, Rhuairidh, Ruaridh, Rhuari, Rhuaridh, Ruarídh, Ruarí, Roighrí, Rauridh or Raighrí. Historically, it has also been anglicised by replacement with the Germanic names Roderick and Roger, particularly the former.
List of people
Ruaidrí
Ruaidrí mac Fáeláin (died 785), King of Leinster of the Uí Fáeláin sept of the Uí Dúnlainge branch of the Laigin
Ruaidrí ua Canannáin (died 950), king of the Cenél Conaill, and according to some sources High King of Ireland
Ruaidrí na Saide Buide (died 1118), called Ruaidrí na Saide Buide (Ruaidrí of the Yellow Birch), King of Connacht
Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair, 12th century King of Connacht and the last High King of Ireland
Ruaidri mac Cathal Ua Conchobair, King of Connacht in Ireland
Ruaidri mac Tairdelbach Ua Conchobair, King of Connacht, died 1384
Ruaidri Caech mac Diarmata (1404–1421), see Kings of Magh Luirg
Ruaidri Óg mac Diarmata (1478–1486), see Kings of Magh Luirg
Ruaidri mac Diarmata (1549–1568), see Kings of Magh Luirg
Ruaidrí Ó Domhnaill (1575–1608), King and Earl of Tyrconnell
Ruaidrí Ó Gadhra (died 1256), Irish king
Ruaidri Ó Cellaigh (died 1339), Irish king
Ruaidrí Ó Curnín (died 1496), Irish poet
Ruaidhrí
Ruaidhri Ó Cianáin (died 1387), Irish historian
Rúaidhrí Conroy (born 1979), Irish actor
Ruaidhrí mac Coscraigh (fl. 990s), Irish king
Rúaidhrí de Valera (1916–1978), Irish archaeologist
Ruaidhrí Ó Dubhda (fl. 1380), Irish king
Ruaidhrí Ó Flaithbheartaigh (1629–1716/18), Irish historian
Ruaidhri Ó Flaithbheartaigh (fl. 1200s), Irish king
Rúaidhri Ua Flaithbheartaigh (died 1061), Irish king
Ruaidhri Ua Flaithbheartaigh (died 1145), Irish king
Ruaidhrí Gilla Dubh Ó Seachnasaigh (died 1569), Irish knight
Ruaidhrí Higgins (born 1984), manager of Derry City F.C. in the League of Ireland
Ruaidhri Mac Aedha (died 1170), Irish lord
Ruaidhrí mac Raghnaill (died 1247?), Hebridean magnate
Ruaidhrí Mac Ruaidhrí (died 1318?), Scottish magnate
Ruaidhrí Mear Ua Dubhda (fl. 1100s), Irish king
Ruaidhrí Murphy (born 1987), Irish rugby union footballer
Ruaidhri Roberts (1917–1986), Irish trade union leader
Ruaidhri Smith (born 1994), Scottish cricketer
Ruadhri
Ruadhri of Bute (fl. 13th century), Scottish noble
Ruadhri Ua Flaithbertaigh (fl. late 12th century), Irish king
Ruari
Ruari Crichard (born 1995), English cricketer
Ruari MacLennan (born 1988), Scottish footballer
Ruari McLean (1917–2006), British typographic designer
Ruari Paton (born 2000), Irish footballer
Ruairí
Bantum (real name Ruairí Lynch; born 1983), Irish multi-instrumentalist, musician, DJ, producer and composer
Ruairí Mac Easmainn (1864–1916), Irish patriot, poet, revolutionary and nationalist
Ruairí Brugha (1917–2006), Irish politician
Ruairí Ó Brádaigh (1932–2013), Irish Republican Army member
Ruairí Canavan (born 2003), Gaelic footballer
Ruairi O'Connor (born 1991), Irish actor
Ruairí Convery (born 1984), Northern Irish hurler
Ruairí Deane (born 1991), Irish Gaelic footballer
Ruairí Ó Gadhra (died 1206), Irish king
Ruairi Glynn, installation artist
Ruairí Harkin (born 1989), Irish footballer
Ruairí Keating (born 1995), Irish footballer
Ruairi McGoff (born 1985), English-Canadian rugby league footballer
Ruairí McKiernan, Irish author and social entrepreneur
Ruairí Ó Murchú (born 1978), Irish politician
Ruairi Quinn (born 1946), Irish politician
Ruairi O'Rahilly, Gaelic footballer
Ruairí Robinson (born 1978), Irish film director and writer
Ruairí McKiernan (born 1977), Irish social activist