Boy · #12,182 in 2026

Ruaridh

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").

Current Rank
#12,182
Peak Rank
#12,182 (2016)
Total Babies
5
5-Yr Trend
Stable
2016
First Year
2016
Last Year
2016
Peak Year
#12182
Peak Rank
5
Total Count
1
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Ruaridh

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 →

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 Ruaridh

The earliest SSA record of Ruaridh as a baby boy name dates back to 2016, when 5 babies received it. 2016 was its biggest year on record, with 5 newborns named Ruaridh — #12,182 in the national rankings. Ruaridh last appeared in the published SSA data in 2016, with 5 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 5 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 2010s to 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
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Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Ruaridh

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

  • Ruairidh
  • Reread
  • Refried
  • Refereed
  • Rearmed
  • Retreat
  • Railroad
  • Rugrat
  • Proofread
  • Remarried
  • Rashid
  • Retread

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Ruaridh

What does the name Ruaridh 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").
How popular is Ruaridh in 2026?
In 2026, Ruaridh ranks #12,182 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Ruaridh most popular?
Ruaridh reached its peak popularity in 2016, ranking #12,182 that year with 5 babies given the name.
Is Ruaridh a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Ruaridh is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Ruaridh?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Ruaridh include Aaseem, Abdelhamid, Abdulhaadi. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

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Abrem
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About the name Ruaridh

Ruaridh is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2016 and has accumulated 5 births in the dataset. Ruaridh's peak popularity came in 2016 when it ranked #12,182. Use the chart and map above to compare Ruaridh'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.