Rory (given name)

Pronunciation	English: /rɔːri/, raw-ree
Gender	Male
Language(s)	Gaelic
Meaning	amazing
Region of origin	Ireland
Related names	from Ruairi (Ruaridh, Ruaidhrí, Ruairí, Ruairidh, Ruaraidh)

Rory is a male given name of Gaelic origin. It is an anglicization of the Irish: Ruairí/Ruaidhrí and Scottish Gaelic: Ruairidh, and is common to the Irish, Highland Scots and their diasporas. The meaning of the name is "red king," from ruadh ("red-haired" or "rusty") and rígh ("king").

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). 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 the famous King of Laois, Ruairí Óg Ó Mórdha 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 (b. 1968), daughter of Robert F. Kennedy. It can also be short for "Aurora".

The standard Gaelic pronunciation is /'ruərʲi:/, and in Munster Irish /rəi'rʲi:/. In English, it is typically pronounced as raw-ree (/rɔːri/). In Classical Gaelic, the name was written Ruaidhrigh, and in Old Gaelic Ruaidhrí /ruaðʲr͈ʲiː/ (Proto Celtic *roudo-riks). There are numerous other recorded variations of the name such as Ruaidrí, Ruaidhri, Ruairdhri, Rhuairidh, Ruaridh, Rhuaridh, Ruarídh, Ruari, Roighrí, Rauridh or Raighrí. Historically, it has also been anglicised by replacement with the Germanic cognate Roderick, of similar meaning (red leader) and in some cases the etymologically unrelated Roger and Ray. Its equivalent in the Welsh language is Rhodri, also meaning red king.

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