Namewise

Aaron vs Rory

Aaron and Rorycompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.

Head to head

Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Aaron was ranked #114 and Rory #3 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Aaron was ranked #180 and Rory #17 among boys in England and Wales.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1994, Aaron was ranked #27 and Rory #99 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Aaron was ranked #187 and Rory #33 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Aaron was ranked #71 and Rory #60 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Aaron and Rory over time

Aaron and Rory appear together in 3 published lists, across 118 years of shared records. Aaron held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Rory in 0.

The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Aaron reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Rory in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.

Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.

How this pair is related

The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys60 shared years, 1965–2025

    Aaron held the stronger position in 38 of those years, Rory in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Aaron #6 in 1998, Rory #42 in 2012.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Aaron #71, Rory #60.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Aaron held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Rory in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Aaron #31 in 1998, Rory #17 in 2025.

    The order changed in 2015: Rory moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #80 and #87; by 2015 that had become #87 and #74.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Aaron #180, Rory #17.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Aaron held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Rory in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Aaron #8 in 2000, Rory #28 in 2022.

    The order changed in 2017: Rory moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #50 and #68; by 2017 that had become #80 and #37.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Aaron #187, Rory #33.

Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Aaron

Pairs where Aaron shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Rory

Pairs where Rory shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Northern Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Northern Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Aaron, Rory
FieldAaronRory
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningBest known as the name of Moses's elder brother and the first high priest of Israel in the Old Testament; the literal meaning of the name itself is not reliably established.Red king.
OriginBiblical Hebrew (likely of Egyptian origin)Scottish and Irish Gaelic
Pronunciation/ˈɛrən//ˈɹɔɹi/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedRuairidh, Ruaidhrí, Rorie, Ruaidhrí
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #71 (2025)England and Wales · Boys #17 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Aaron is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew (likely of Egyptian origin) origin, while Rory is recorded with a Scottish and Irish Gaelic origin.
  • Aaron and Rory both have 2 syllables.
  • Aaron's recorded meaning differs from Rory's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Aaron a "medium" Data Confidence level and Rory a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Aaron

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1965

    First recorded at #222 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1965–2025

    Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1998 (recorded 1965–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #180 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Rory

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1271 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls