Declan vs Rory
Declan 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, Declan was ranked #404 and Rory #3 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Declan was ranked #371 and Rory #24 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Declan was ranked #256 and Rory #33 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Declan was ranked #348 and Rory #60 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Declan and Rory over time
Declan and Rory appear together in 3 published lists, across 119 years of shared records. Rory held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Declan 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.
Declan 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2010, Rory moved ahead of Declan in England and Wales · Boys — #136 and #142 the year before became #133 and #132.
- Longest-running competitions
Declan and Rory were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #348 and #60.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #83 and #93 in England and Wales · Boys, 10 places apart; by 2024 they were #371 and #24.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Declan held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Rory in 29.
Highest recorded here: Declan #12 in 1971, Rory #42 in 2012.
The order changed in 1997: Rory moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #77 and #81; by 1997 that had become #81 and #74.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Declan #348, Rory #60.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Declan held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Rory in 16.
Highest recorded here: Declan #66 in 2000, Rory #24 in 2024.
The order changed in 2010: Rory moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #136 and #142; by 2010 that had become #133 and #132.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Declan #371, Rory #24.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Declan held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Rory in 27.
Highest recorded here: Declan #54 in 1997, Rory #28 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Declan #256, 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 | Declan | Rory |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Red king. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Scottish and Irish Gaelic |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈɹɔɹi/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Ruairidh, Ruaidhrí, Rorie, Ruaidhrí |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #348 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #60 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Rory has a recorded origin (Scottish and Irish Gaelic); Declan does not have one recorded yet.
- Declan and Rory both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Rory; Declan doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Declan 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
Declan
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #23 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 recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #12 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1971 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #348 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · 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