Rory vs Steven
Rory and Stevencompared 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, Rory was ranked #3 and Steven #307 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Rory was ranked #24 and Steven #800 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Rory was ranked #28 and Steven #414 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Rory was ranked #60 and Steven #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1994, Rory was ranked #99 and Steven #72 among boys in New Zealand.
Rory and Steven over time
Rory and Steven appear together in 3 published lists, across 114 years of shared records. Rory held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Steven 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.
Steven 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 2003, Rory moved ahead of Steven in England and Wales · Boys — #138 and #133 the year before became #132 and #152.
- Longest-running competitions
Rory and Steven were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 61 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #60 and #829.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1997 they stood at #53 and #59 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 6 places apart; by 2022 they were #28 and #414.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1964–2025
Rory held the stronger position in 47 of those years, Steven in 14.
Highest recorded here: Rory #42 in 2012, Steven #57 in 1990.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Rory #60, Steven #829.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Rory held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Steven in 7.
Highest recorded here: Rory #24 in 2024, Steven #73 in 1996.
The order changed in 2003: Rory moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #138 and #133; by 2003 that had become #132 and #152.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Rory #24, Steven #800.
Northern Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 1997–2022
Rory held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Steven in 1.
Highest recorded here: Rory #28 in 2022, Steven #54 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Rory #28, Steven #414.
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 | Rory | Steven |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Red king. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Scottish and Irish Gaelic | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɹɔɹi/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Ruairidh, Ruaidhrí, Rorie, Ruaidhrí | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #60 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Rory has a recorded origin (Scottish and Irish Gaelic); Steven does not have one recorded yet.
- Rory and Steven both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Rory; Steven 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 Rory a "high" Data Confidence level and Steven a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
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
Steven
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #363 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2000
Highest recorded position: #12 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1961 (recorded 1952–2000).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys