Rory


Rory is a given name of Goidelic origin. It is an anglicisation of the Ruairí/Ruaidhrí/Ruaidhrígh/Raidhrígh/Ruaraidh Ruairidh and Manx: Rauree and is common to the Irish, Highland Scots and their diasporas. The meaning of the name is "red-haired king", from ruadh and rígh. In Ireland and Scotland it is a masculine name. In the United States the name is given more to boys than to girls.

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. 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.
Since the 1960s in the United States, the name has occasionally been given to females, notably to Rory Kennedy, daughter of Robert F. Kennedy. It can also be short for "Aurora".

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, Rhuaridh, Ruarídh, Ruarí, Roighrí, Rauridh or Raighrí. Historically, it has also been anglicised by replacement with the Germanic name Roderick, of similar meaning and in some cases the also etymologically unrelated names Roger and Ray.
Old IrishModern IrishScottish GaelicEnglish
RuaidhríRuairíRuairidhRory

List of people

Ruaidrí

Male

Male characters