Namewise

Cillian vs Rory

Cillian 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.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Cillian was ranked #2 and Rory #33 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Cillian was ranked #83 and Rory #3 among boys in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Cillian was ranked #9 and Rory #60 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Cillian was ranked #177 and Rory #24 among boys in England and Wales.

Cillian and Rory over time

Cillian and Rory appear together in 3 published lists, across 112 years of shared records. Rory held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Cillian 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.

Rory reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Cillian 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.

  • One took the other's place near the top

    In Northern Ireland · Boys, Cillian moved into the top 50 at #25 in 2015 as Rory fell out of it to #80, having been #48 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2015, Cillian moved ahead of Rory in Northern Ireland · Boys — #48 and #48 the year before became #25 and #80.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Cillian and Rory changed places 5 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1970 and 2025, ending at #9 and #60.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 55 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Cillian and Rory averaged 55.8 places apart, ending at #9 and #60.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Cillian and Rory were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 55 years, from 1970 to 2025, ending at #9 and #60.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Cillian #177 in 2024, Rory #24 in 2024.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys55 shared years, 1970–2025

    Cillian held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Rory in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Cillian #4 in 2024, Rory #42 in 2012.

    The order changed in 2004: Cillian moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #60 and #52; by 2004 that had become #40 and #48.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Cillian #9, Rory #60.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Cillian held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Rory in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Cillian #177 in 2024, Rory #24 in 2024.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Cillian #177, Rory #24.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Cillian held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Rory in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Cillian #2 in 2024, Rory #28 in 2022.

    The order changed in 2015: Cillian moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #48 and #48; by 2015 that had become #25 and #80.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Cillian #2, 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 Cillian

Pairs where Cillian 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 Cillian, Rory
FieldCillianRory
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningProbably from Old Irish 'cell' (church) combined with a diminutive suffix.Red king.
OriginIrishScottish and Irish Gaelic
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈɹɔɹi/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedRuairidh, Ruaidhrí, Rorie, Ruaidhrí
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IEAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #9 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #60 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Cillian is recorded with a Irish origin, while Rory is recorded with a Scottish and Irish Gaelic origin.
  • Cillian and Rory both have 2 syllables.
  • Cillian's recorded meaning differs from Rory's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
  • The available evidence gives Cillian 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

Cillian

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1970

    First recorded at #305 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1970 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2024 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #9 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · 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. Highest recorded2024–2024

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in Scotland, in 2024 (recorded 2024–2024).

    Scotland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #60 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys