Rory vs Tommy
Rory and Tommycompared 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 Tommy #20 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Rory was ranked #17 and Tommy #44 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Rory was ranked #33 and Tommy #20 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Rory was ranked #60 and Tommy #27 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Rory was ranked #85 and Tommy #97 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Rory and Tommy over time
Rory and Tommy appear together in 3 published lists, across 95 years of shared records. Rory held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Tommy 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.
Rory reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Tommy 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.
- One took the other's place near the top
In Northern Ireland · Boys, Tommy moved into the top 50 at #16 in 2020 as Rory fell out of it to #65, having been #32 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2020, Tommy moved ahead of Rory in Northern Ireland · Boys — #32 and #33 the year before became #65 and #16.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Rory and Tommy changed places 8 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2025, ending at #17 and #44.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Rory and Tommy averaged 19.6 places apart, ending at #17 and #44.
- Longest-running competitions
Rory and Tommy were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #17 and #44.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Rory #28 in 2022, Tommy #11 in 2023.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys43 shared years, 1980–2025
Rory held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Tommy in 11.
Highest recorded here: Rory #42 in 2012, Tommy #21 in 2023.
The order changed in 2015: Tommy moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #66 and #69; by 2015 that had become #73 and #63.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Rory #60, Tommy #27.
England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Rory held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Tommy in 18.
Highest recorded here: Rory #17 in 2025, Tommy #22 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Rory #17, Tommy #44.
Northern Ireland · Boys22 shared years, 1999–2024
Rory held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Tommy in 5.
Highest recorded here: Rory #28 in 2022, Tommy #11 in 2023.
The order changed in 2020: Tommy moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #32 and #33; by 2020 that had become #65 and #16.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Rory #33, Tommy #20.
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 | Tommy |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | England and Wales · Boys #17 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #27 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| 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); Tommy does not have one recorded yet.
- Rory and Tommy both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Rory; Tommy 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 Tommy 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
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #1271 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Tommy
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #268 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1999–2024
Highest recorded position: #11 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2023 (recorded 1999–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #44 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys