Pronunciation
Roo-ree
Meaning
Red-haired king
Alternate spellings
Ruaidhrí; Ruairi; Ruaidhrígh; Rory
Fun fact
Ruadh is connected with red hair, and rí means king. Rory is an anglicised form you'll probably recognise. You'll also see Ruairi without the fada, so check the spelling as well as the sound.
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Ruairí, Republic of Ireland.
The CSO only publishes names given to three or more babies in a year. “Less than 3” means zero, one or two babies, and these years appear as gaps on the graph.
#67Rank among boy names in 202585Babies registered in 2025
Number of babies registered each year
From 2018, spellings with and without fadas are counted separately. Earlier figures group these spellings together, so the graph has a break at 2018.
View yearly figures
| Year | Babies named | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 85 | #67 |
| 2024 | 57 | #98 |
| 2023 | 64 | #92 |
| 2022 | 45 | #133 |
| 2021 | 51 | #126 |
| 2020 | 82 | #77 |
| 2019 | 78 | #87 |
| 2018 | 58 | #114 |
| 2017 | 77 | #96 |
| 2016 | 54 | #123 |
| 2015 | 73 | #98 |
| 2014 | 84 | #93 |
| 2013 | 81 | #92 |
| 2012 | 99 | #81 |
| 2011 | 86 | #94 |
| 2010 | 91 | #88 |
| 2009 | 93 | #88 |
| 2008 | 93 | #86 |
| 2007 | 74 | #97 |
| 2006 | 78 | #84 |
| 2005 | 68 | #93 |
| 2004 | 57 | #104 |
| 2003 | 59 | #92 |
| 2002 | 49 | #101 |
| 2001 | 45 | #107 |
| 2000 | 47 | #103 |
| 1999 | 37 | #116 |
| 1998 | 33 | #117 |
| 1997 | 32 | #133 |
| 1996 | 42 | #118 |
| 1995 | 38 | #122 |
| 1994 | 29 | #133 |
| 1993 | 28 | #135 |
| 1992 | 34 | #129 |
| 1991 | 29 | #138 |
| 1990 | 37 | #117 |
| 1989 | 27 | #136 |
| 1988 | 13 | #175 |
| 1987 | 39 | #119 |
| 1986 | 32 | #128 |
| 1985 | 25 | #142 |
| 1984 | 25 | #141 |
| 1983 | 46 | #111 |
| 1982 | 45 | #112 |
| 1981 | 46 | #114 |
| 1980 | 34 | #125 |
| 1979 | 40 | #120 |
| 1978 | 45 | #114 |
| 1977 | 46 | #111 |
| 1976 | 30 | #131 |
| 1975 | 27 | #131 |
| 1974 | 16 | #173 |
| 1973 | 9 | #215 |
| 1972 | 5 | #254 |
| 1971 | 12 | #184 |
| 1970 | 3 | #305 |
| 1969 | 10 | #187 |
| 1968 | 3 | #267 |
| 1967 | 3 | #265 |
| 1966 | 3 | #256 |
| 1965 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1964 | Less than 3 | - |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies’ Names, tables VSA50 and VSA60. Latest year: 2025.