Rory

Rory is a male given name of Gaelic origin. It is an anglicization of the Irish: Ruairí and Scottish Gaelic: Ruairidh, and is common to the Irish, Highland Scots and their diasporas. The meaning of the name is "red king," from ruadh ("red-haired" or "ruddy") and rígh ("king"). 2History An early use of the name in antiquity is in reference to Rudraige mac Sithrigi, a High King of Ireland who eventually spawned the Ulaid (indeed this tribe are sometimes known as Clanna Rudhraighe). Throughout the Middle Ages the name was in use by various kings such as Ruaidrí mac Fáeláin, Ruaidrí na Saide Buide and Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair, the last High King of Ireland. As well as this the famous King of Laois, Ruairí Óg Ó Mórdha and his nephew Ruairí Ó Mórdha who was a leader in the Irish Rebellion of 1641, held the name. Since the 1960s in the United States, the name has occasionally been given to females, notably to Rory Kennedy (b. 1968), daughter of Robert F. Kennedy. 2Variations The standard Gaelic pronunciation is /'ruərʲi:/, and in Munster Irish /rəi'rʲi:/. In English, it is typically pronounced as raw-ree (/rɔːri/