Ruairi
Meaningred king · Irish
- US rank
- #5,399
- Syllables
- 3
- Peak
- #4,698 in 2020
17 babies were named Ruairi in the US in 2025. It has dropped 701 places in five years.
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US births per million boys, 1988–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Ruairi you might not know, from US birth records. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
- How commonAbout 1 in every 100,000 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Ruairi, 17 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Ruairi would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryRuairi first shows up in US birth records in 1988, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 37 years since.
- Best yearIts best year was 2020, when it reached #4,698.
- TrendRuairi has slipped 701 places over the last five years and now sits at #5,399. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Boy or girlRuairi is given to both boys and girls: 74% of the 23 babies named Ruairi in 2025 were boys. That makes it one of the names that truly works for either.
- MeaningIn Irish, Ruairi means “red king”. Our records link it to Gaelic and Irish roots.
About the name Ruairi
Ruairi is a boy name of Gaelic and Irish origin meaning “red king”. It has 6 letters and 3 syllables, starting with R and ending in “-iri”. US birth records list Ruairi for boys from 1988 to 2025, in 29 of those 38 years. Its best year was 2020, when it ranked #4,698 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #5,399, with 17 babies.
Origin:Gaelic namesIrish names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.6 | 645,161 boys |
| 1990s | 1.7 | 574,713 boys |
| 2000s | 3.0 | 332,226 boys |
| 2010s | 4.9 | 205,761 boys |
| 2020s | 9.5 | 104,895 boys |
More Gaelic boy names
- Boy name: Liam · resolute protector
- Unisex name: Owen · well-born
- Unisex name: Miles · possibly gracious
- Boy name: Ian · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Myles · possibly gracious
- Boy name: Callum · dove
- Boy name: Declan · possibly full of goodness
- Unisex name: Connor · lover of hounds
Questions about the name Ruairi
What does the name Ruairi mean?
Ruairi means “red king” in Irish.
What is the origin of the name Ruairi?
Ruairi has Gaelic, Irish roots in our records. Other Gaelic names include Liam, Owen, Miles.
Is Ruairi a boy or girl name?
Ruairi is a boy name, though a few girls get it too.
How popular is the name Ruairi?
Ruairi ranked #5,399 for US boys in 2025, given to 17 babies. Its best year was 2020 (#4,698).