Rory
Rory is a given name of Gaelic origin. It is an anglicisation of the /Ruaidhrí and /Ruaraidh and is common to the Irish, Highland Scots and their diasporas. The meaning of the name is "red king", composed of ruadh and rígh.
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. Ruadrí mac Domnall was the grandfather of famous Scottish king Macbeth and the eponymous founder of Clann Ruaidrí. 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", “Gloria”, or "Lorelai".
Variations
The standard Scottish Gaelic pronunciation is, and in Munster Irish. In English, it is typically pronounced as . In Classical Gaelic, the name was written Ruaidhrigh, and in Old Irish Ruaidríg /ruaðʲr͈ʲiːʝʲ/. 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.| Old Irish | Modern Irish | Scottish Gaelic | Modern Scottish | English |
| Ruaidhrí | Ruairí | Ruairidh | Ruaridh | Rory |
Men
Ruaidrí
- Ruaidrí mac Fáeláin, King of Leinster of the Uí Fáeláin sept of the Uí Dúnlainge branch of the Laigin
- Ruaidrí ua Canannáin, king of the Cenél Conaill, and according to some sources High King of Ireland
- Ruaidrí na Saide Buide, called Ruaidrí na Saide Buide, 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, see Kings of Magh Luirg
- Ruaidri Óg mac Diarmata, see Kings of Magh Luirg
- Ruaidri mac Diarmata, see Kings of Magh Luirg
- Ruaidrí Ó Domhnaill, King and Earl of Tyrconnell
- Ruaidrí Ó Gadhra, Irish king
- Ruaidri Ó Cellaigh, Irish king
- Ruaidrí Ó Curnín, Irish poet
Ruaidhrí
- Ruaidhri Ó Cianáin, Irish historian
- Rúaidhrí Conroy, Irish actor
- Ruaidhrí mac Coscraigh, Irish king
- Rúaidhrí de Valera, Irish archaeologist
- Ruaidhrí Ó Dubhda, Irish king
- Ruaidhrí Ó Flaithbheartaigh, Irish historian
- Ruaidhri Ó Flaithbheartaigh, Irish king
- Rúaidhri Ua Flaithbheartaigh, Irish king
- Ruaidhri Ua Flaithbheartaigh, Irish king
- Ruaidhrí Gilla Dubh Ó Seachnasaigh, Irish knight
- Ruaidhrí Higgins, manager of Derry City F.C. in the League of Ireland
- Ruaidhri Mac Aedha, Irish lord
- Ruaidhrí mac Raghnaill, Hebridean magnate
- Ruaidhrí Mac Ruaidhrí, Scottish magnate
- Ruaidhrí Mear Ua Dubhda, Irish king
- Ruaidhrí Murphy, Irish rugby union footballer
- Ruaidhri Roberts, Irish trade union leader
- Ruaidhri Smith, Scottish cricketer
Ruadhri
- Ruadhri of Bute, Scottish noble
- Ruadhri Ua Flaithbertaigh, Irish king
Ruari
- Ruari Crichard, English cricketer
- Ruari MacLennan, Scottish footballer
- Ruari McLean, British typographic designer
- Ruari Paton, Irish footballer
Ruairí
- Bantum, Irish multi-instrumentalist, musician, DJ, producer and composer
- Ruairí Mac Easmainn, Irish patriot, poet, revolutionary and nationalist
- Ruairí Brugha, Irish politician
- Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, Irish Republican Army member
- Ruairí Canavan, Gaelic footballer
- Ruairi O'Connor, Irish actor
- Ruairí Convery, Northern Irish hurler
- Ruairí Deane, Irish Gaelic footballer
- Ruairí Ó Gadhra, Irish king
- Ruairi Glynn, installation artist
- Ruairí Harkin, Irish footballer
- Ruairí Keating, Irish footballer
- Ruairi McGoff, English-Canadian rugby league footballer
- Ruairí McKiernan, Irish author and social entrepreneur
- Ruairí Ó Murchú, Irish politician
- Ruairi Quinn, Irish politician
- Ruairi O'Rahilly, Gaelic footballer
- Ruairí Robinson, Irish film director and writer
- Ruairí McKiernan, Irish social activist
Ruaraidh
- Ruaraidh Erskine, Scottish nationalist
- Ruaraidh Murray, Scottish actor, writer and comedian
Ruairidh
- Ruairidh Campbell, Scottish rugby union referee
- Ruairidh Greenwood, Scottish curler
- Ruairidh MacIlleathain, Scottish Gaelic broadcaster
Ruaridh
- Ruaridh Arrow, British film-maker
- Ruaridh Jackson, Scottish rugby union player
- Ruaridh Langan, Scottish footballer
- Ruaridh MacKenzie, Scottish rugby union player
- Ruaridh McConnochie, English rugby union player
- Ruaridh Mollica, Scottish-Italian actor
Rory
- Rory Anderson, American football player
- Rory Barnes, Australian writer
- Rory Best, Irish rugby union footballer
- Rory Boulding, English footballer
- Rory Brady, Irish lawyer
- Rory Bremner, Scottish comedian
- Rory Brennan, Irish poet
- Rory Brien, rugby league footballer
- Rory Burns, English cricketer
- Rory Byrne, South African racing car designer
- Rory Calhoun, American actor
- Rory Carroll, Irish journalist
- Rory Cellan-Jones, British journalist
- Rory Cochrane, American actor
- Rory Collins, epidemiologist
- Rory Enrique Conde, Colombian serial killer
- Rory Culkin, American actor
- Rory Delap, Irish football player
- Rory Dodd, Canadian rock vocalist
- Rory Fairweather-Neylan, Australian ballet dancer
- Rory Fallon, New Zealand football player
- Rory Feely, Irish association football player
- Rory Fitzpatrick, American ice hockey player
- Rory Gallagher, Irish musician
- Roderick "Rory" Gibson, American actor
- Rory Hamilton-Brown, English cricketer
- Rory Jacob, Irish hurler
- Rory Jennings, British actor
- Rory Johnson, American football player
- Rory Jones, South African football player
- Rory Kiely, Irish politician
- Rory Kinnear, English actor
- Rory Kockott, South African rugby player representing France internationally
- Rory Lamont, Scottish rugby player
- Rory Lawson, Scottish international rugby union player
- Rory Lee Feek, American country music singer and songwriter
- Rory Leidelmeyer, American bodybuilder
- Rory Loy, Scottish footballer
- Rory Macdonald , Scottish conductor
- Rory MacDonald , Canadian professional mixed martial artist
- Rory Macdonald , Scottish bassist
- Rory MacGregor, British actor
- Rory MacLean, Canadian writer
- Rory Makem Irish-American musician
- Rory Markas, American sportscaster
- Rory Markham, American mixed martial artist
- Rory McCann, Scottish actor
- Rory McEwen , Australian politician
- Rory McEwen , Scottish artist and musician
- Rory McGrath, English comedian
- Rory McIlroy, Northern Irish golfer
- Rory McLeod , English singer-songwriter
- Rory McLeod , English professional snooker player
- Rory McTurk, British philologist
- Rory O'Connor , Irish republican activist
- Rory O'Hanlon, Irish politician
- Rory O'Malley, Broadway actor
- Rory O'Moore, Irish rebel
- Rory O'Tunny, Irish sculptor
- Rory Peck, British journalist
- Rory Reid, American politician
- Rory Sabbatini, South African golfer
- Rory J Saper, English actor
- Rory Schlein, Australian speedway rider
- Rory Singer, American mixed martial artist
- Rory Sparrow, American basketball player
- Rory Smith, Canadian lacrosse player
- Rory Steele, Australian author
- Rory Stewart, British politician, diplomat and author
- Rory Storm, English musician
- Rory Sutherland, Australian racing cyclist
- Rory Underwood, English rugby player
- Rory Watson, English footballer
Rorie
- Rorie Henderson, British rower
Women
- Rory Block, American blues guitarist and singer
- Rory Bosio, American ultramarathon runner
- Rory Flack, American figure skater
- Rory Guilday, American ice hockey player
- Rory Kennedy, American filmmaker
- Rory Martinez, Mexican-American director
- Rory Owen, Australian professional rugby league footballer
- Rory Power, American author
- Rory Quintos, Filipino television and film director
- Rory Uphold, Canadian-American singer-songwriter and actress
Fictional characters
Male characters
- Brother Rua in the film Pilgrimage
- Rory in the Australian children's television series Little Lunch
- Rory in the book series The Hunger Games
- Rory in the film/television series My Babysitter's a Vampire
- Rory Adams in the movie Life
- Rory Breaker in the movie Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
- Rory Campbell in the Marvel Comics Universe
- Roary in the television show Roary the Racing Car
- Ruairí Donovan in the British radio soap opera The Archers
- Ruairi, a central character in the MMORPG Mabinogi, appearing in the introductory storyline and several others subsequently.
- Rory Finnigan in the television series Hollyoaks
- Rory Flanagan in the television series Glee
- Rory Hennessy in the television series 8 Simple Rules
- Rory Jansen in the movie The Words
- Rory Murdoch in the television series River City
- Rory O'Shea in the movie Inside I'm Dancing
- Rory Peters in the movie Final Destination 2
- Rory Regan, Ragman in the DC Comics Universe
- Rory Slippery in the television series Fortysomething
- Rory Williams in the television series Doctor Who
- Rory Walker in the movie The Conjuring
- Rory Browne in the books of the saga of Agnes Browne by Brendan O'Carroll
- Rory in the former Disney video game Club Penguin
- Rory, a character in 2024's ''Beetlejuice Beetlejuice''