Rory is a distinctive girls' name in England & Wales, ranking #1939 in 2020 with 14 recorded births. This places Rory in the top 27% of ranked UK girls' names for the year. Its actual usage is classified as Rare. The name reached its all-time peak in 2025 with 25 births ranking #1271. In 2020, approximately 1 in every 19,172 girls born was named Rory. RISING Recent data shows the name is currently rising.
Rory is a lively Irish name traditionally understood to mean 'red king'. It feels energetic, modern, and comfortably unisex in current use.
Long used in Ireland, Rory became more broadly popular as short Celtic names gained traction internationally. Its crisp sound and strong meaning helped it travel well.