Rising since 1993, #5,399 for boys today.
Popularity of Ruairi since 1988
Babies named Ruairi per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1980s | 6 |
| 1990s | 33 |
| 2000s | 60 |
| 2010s | 91 |
| 2020s | 99 |
Meaning & origin
Ruairi is an Irish name meaning 'red-haired king,' reflecting its origin from the Gaelic Ruaidhrí. It first appeared in U.S. records in 1988 and has a current rank of 5399 as of 2025, with a 1-in-100,475 birth frequency. The name has been steadily rising in usage since 1993, reaching its peak popularity in 2022. While it is not yet widely used in the United States, its variant Rory is more common, and Ruairi retains a strong cultural tie to Irish heritage.
Ruairi is the Irish Gaelic form of the ancient name Ruaidhrí, composed of the elements ruaid (red) and rí (king). It has been a traditional Irish name for centuries, borne by several early Irish kings and chieftains. The name remains popular in Ireland and among the Irish diaspora.
“Ruairi” around the world
Where Ruairi lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
Ireland
#67
in 2025
Sources: CSO Ireland (Ireland).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Rory
Sibling names for Ruairi
Names that share Ruairi's style, for a brother or sister.
