Niall vs Rory
Niall 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, Niall was ranked #246 and Rory #3 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Niall was ranked #613 and Rory #24 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Niall was ranked #144 and Rory #33 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Niall was ranked #244 and Rory #60 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Niall and Rory over time
Niall 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, Niall 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.
Niall 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 took the other's place near the top
In Northern Ireland · Boys, Rory moved into the top 50 at #35 in 2006 as Niall fell out of it to #63, having been #42 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2006, Rory moved ahead of Niall in Northern Ireland · Boys — #42 and #79 the year before became #63 and #35.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Niall and Rory averaged 39.9 places apart, ending at #144 and #33.
- Longest-running competitions
Niall and Rory were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #244 and #60.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Niall held the stronger position in 40 of those years, Rory in 22.
Highest recorded here: Niall #16 in 1991, Rory #42 in 2012.
The order changed in 2006: Rory moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #53 and #68; by 2006 that had become #60 and #45.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Niall #244, Rory #60.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Niall held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Rory in 28.
Highest recorded here: Niall #106 in 1996, Rory #24 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Niall #613, Rory #24.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Niall held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Rory in 19.
Highest recorded here: Niall #26 in 1998, Rory #28 in 2022.
The order changed in 2006: Rory moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #42 and #79; by 2006 that had become #63 and #35.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Niall #144, 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 | Niall | 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 | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Ruairidh, Ruaidhrí, Rorie, Ruaidhrí |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #244 (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); Niall does not have one recorded yet.
- Niall has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Rory.
- A meaning is recorded for Rory; Niall doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
- The available evidence gives Niall 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
Niall
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #47 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: #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1991 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #244 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