Boy · #6,950 in 2026

Ruairi

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").

  • Scottish Gaelic
  • Irish
Current Rank
#6,950
Peak Rank
#4,697 (2022)
Total Babies
294
5-Yr Trend
-1%
2021
First Year
2021
Last Year
2021
Peak Year
#13458
Peak Rank
6
Total Count
1
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Ruairi

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

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").

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • Scottish Gaelic
  • Irish
Origin & 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

The Story of Ruairi

Ruairi first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1988, with 6 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2022: 21 births, good for #4,700 nationwide. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 35% of all recorded Ruairis. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #6,950 among baby boy names with 11 births, holding steady (-1%). In total, more than 294 Ruairis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Variants & Related Forms of Ruairi

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Ruairi. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Names that sound like Ruairi

Phonetically similar names — useful when Ruairi is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Ruggieri
  • Ruggeri
  • Ruggiero
  • Remarry
  • Ruggero
  • Retiree
  • Ramiro
  • Riri
  • Rockery
  • Recore
  • Rothery
  • Arare

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Ruairi

What does the name Ruairi mean?
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").
What is the origin of the name Ruairi?
Ruairi has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: Scottish Gaelic, Irish.
How popular is Ruairi in 2026?
In 2026, Ruairi ranks #6,950 among boys' names in the U.S., with 11 babies given the name that year.
When was Ruairi most popular?
Ruairi reached its peak popularity in 2022, ranking #4,697 that year with 21 babies given the name.
Is Ruairi a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Ruairi is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Ruairi?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Ruairi include Key, Cristino, Eliberto. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Ruairi?
Common variants and related forms of Ruairi include Ruairidh, Ruaraidh, Ruaridh. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

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About the name Ruairi

Ruairi is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1988 and has accumulated 294 births in the dataset. Ruairi's peak popularity came in 2022 when it ranked #4,697. Use the chart and map above to compare Ruairi's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.