Arthur vs Rory
Arthur 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, Arthur was ranked #24 and Rory #3 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Arthur was ranked #4 and Rory #24 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Arthur was ranked #16 and Rory #33 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Arthur was ranked #19 and Rory #85 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Arthur was ranked #57 and Rory #60 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Arthur and Rory over time
Arthur and Rory appear together in 3 published lists, across 111 years of shared records. Rory held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Arthur in 1.
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.
Rory reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Arthur in 1. 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.
- One took the other's place near the top
In Northern Ireland · Boys, Arthur moved into the top 50 at #21 in 2018 as Rory fell out of it to #52, having been #37 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2008, Arthur moved ahead of Rory in England and Wales · Boys — #135 and #124 the year before became #101 and #142.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Arthur and Rory averaged 47.7 places apart, ending at #4 and #24.
- Longest-running competitions
Arthur and Rory were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #57 and #60.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Arthur #14 in 2023, Rory #28 in 2022.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Arthur held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Rory in 56.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #47 in 2024, Rory #42 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #57, Rory #60.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Arthur held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Rory in 10.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #3 in 2020, Rory #24 in 2024.
The order changed in 2008: Arthur moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #135 and #124; by 2008 that had become #101 and #142.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Arthur #4, Rory #24.
Northern Ireland · Boys20 shared years, 2004–2024
Arthur held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Rory in 12.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #14 in 2023, Rory #28 in 2022.
The order changed in 2018: Arthur moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #42 and #37; by 2018 that had become #21 and #52.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Arthur #16, 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.
Side by side
| Field | Arthur | Rory |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Meaning debated — no single origin is established with confidence. | Red king. |
| Origin | Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman | Scottish and Irish Gaelic |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɑɹθər/ | /ˈɹɔɹi/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Art, Artie | Ruairidh, Ruaidhrí, Rorie, Ruaidhrí |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #19 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #60 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | high |
What the data shows
- Arthur is recorded with a Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman origin, while Rory is recorded with a Scottish and Irish Gaelic origin.
- Arthur and Rory both have 2 syllables.
- Arthur'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.
How each name got here
Arthur
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #153 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in England and Wales, in 2020 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #19 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Rory
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded2024–2024
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in Scotland, in 2024 (recorded 2024–2024).
Scotland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #60 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys