Lorcan vs Rory
Lorcan 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Lorcan was ranked #691 and Rory #24 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Lorcan was ranked #54 and Rory #33 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Lorcan was ranked #125 and Rory #60 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Lorcan and Rory over time
Lorcan and Rory appear together in 3 published lists, across 119 years of shared records. Rory held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Lorcan in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Rory reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Lorcan 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Lorcan and Rory changed places 6 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #54 and #33.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Lorcan and Rory averaged 33.2 places apart, ending at #54 and #33.
- Longest-running competitions
Lorcan and Rory were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #125 and #60.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Lorcan #31 in 2023, Rory #28 in 2022.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Lorcan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Rory in 62.
Highest recorded here: Lorcan #87 in 2015, Rory #42 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lorcan #125, Rory #60.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Lorcan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Rory in 29.
Highest recorded here: Lorcan #481 in 2002, Rory #24 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lorcan #691, Rory #24.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Lorcan held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Rory in 25.
Highest recorded here: Lorcan #31 in 2023, Rory #28 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lorcan #54, 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 | Lorcan | 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 | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #125 (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); Lorcan does not have one recorded yet.
- Lorcan and Rory both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Rory; Lorcan doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
- The available evidence gives Lorcan 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
Lorcan
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #147 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 recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #31 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2023 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #125 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