Namewise

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.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Rory was ranked #33 and Tommy #20 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Rory was ranked #24 and Tommy #39 among boys in England and Wales.

  • 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 94 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 2024, ending at #24 and #39.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Rory and Tommy averaged 19.3 places apart, ending at #24 and #39.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Rory and Tommy were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 43 years, from 1980 to 2025, ending at #60 and #27.

  • 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 · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Rory held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Tommy in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Rory #24 in 2024, Tommy #22 in 2020.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Rory #24, Tommy #39.

  • 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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Rory

Pairs where Rory shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Tommy

Pairs where Tommy shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Northern Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Northern Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Rory, Tommy
FieldRoryTommy
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningRed king.Not yet recorded
OriginScottish and Irish GaelicNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈɹɔɹi/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesRuairidh, Ruaidhrí, Rorie, RuaidhríNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #60 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #27 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded2024–2024

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in Scotland, in 2024 (recorded 2024–2024).

    Scotland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #60 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

Tommy

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1999–2024

    Highest recorded position: #11 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2023 (recorded 1999–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #97 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys