Maebh vs Rory
Maebh 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 · Girls
In 2023, Maebh was ranked #4056 and Rory #1469 among girls in England and Wales.
Maebh and Rory over time
Maebh and Rory appear together in 1 published list, across 10 years of shared records. Rory held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Maebh in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Maebh reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls10 shared years, 2010–2023
Maebh held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Rory in 6.
Highest recorded here: Maebh #2674 in 2018, Rory #1452 in 2022.
The order changed in 2020: Rory moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #3541 and #4001; by 2020 that had become #5493 and #1939.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Maebh #4056, Rory #1469.
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 | Maebh | Rory |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Red king. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Scottish and Irish Gaelic |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈɹɔɹi/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 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 · Girls #483 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #60 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 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); Maebh does not have one recorded yet.
- Maebh has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Rory.
- A meaning is recorded for Rory; Maebh doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
- The available evidence gives Maebh 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
Maebh
Popularity journey
First recorded1979
First recorded at #420 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1979 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1979–2025
Highest recorded position: #201 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2009 (recorded 1979–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #483 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
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