Rory
Boy name · #199 in 2025 · Well-known
How old is the name Rory? In official American birth records, Rory has been tracked continuously since 1933, giving it 92 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 1,768 baby boys were named Rory, placing it at #199 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #379, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,018 boys born in 2025 was named Rory.
Babies named Rory per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 92-year story
Rory first appears in the Social Security records in 1933, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 1,768 babies and a rank of #199. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Rory against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Rory in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Rory is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Rory is most common
Geography matters for names, and Rory is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Rory is most common in MA (3.9 per 1,000), ME (3.1 per 1,000), NH (3.1 per 1,000), MT (2.9 per 1,000), CT (2.8 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1.2 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Rory is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Rory
Statistically, parents drawn to Rory tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Sonny, Remy, Rhett, Ronan, and Nico.
SonnyRemyRhettRonanNicoFelixTateEllis
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Rory | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,768 | #199 |
| 2024 | 1,596 | #227 |
| 2023 | 1,447 | #242 |
| 2022 | 1,229 | #280 |
| 2021 | 1,135 | #295 |
| 2020 | 997 | #330 |
| 2019 | 924 | #358 |
| 2018 | 884 | #368 |
| 2017 | 862 | #379 |
| 2016 | 828 | #386 |
| 2015 | 853 | #379 |
| 2014 | 748 | #415 |
| 2013 | 610 | #459 |
| 2012 | 564 | #481 |
| 2011 | 413 | #599 |
| 2010 | 304 | #746 |
| 2009 | 303 | #755 |
| 2008 | 281 | #783 |
| 2007 | 260 | #825 |
| 2006 | 246 | #827 |
| 2005 | 283 | #717 |
| 2004 | 264 | #722 |
| 2003 | 316 | #645 |
| 2002 | 258 | #697 |
| 2001 | 236 | #740 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Rory?
In official American birth records, the name Rory first appeared in 1933 (over 92 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 92 years.
Is Rory a popular boy name?
Rory ranked #199 among boys in 2025 with 1,768 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #379.
When was the name Rory most popular?
Rory peaked in 2025, when 1,768 American boys received the name (ranked #199 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Rory?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,018 newborn American boys was named Rory. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.