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Rhuairidh

Boy name · 10 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Rhuairidh: 10 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 4 births in 2024.

Rhuairidh is a Gaelic form of the classic Scottish name Ruairidh, which is the native version of Rory, ultimately derived from the Old Irish “Ruaidhrí,” meaning “red king” from “ruadh” (red) and “ríg” (king). One of the most famous bearers was Roderick Dhu, the legendary Highland chieftain in Sir Walter Scott’s poem “The Lady of the Lake,” whose Gaelic name was Ruairidh. The name also connects to Rhu, a village in Argyll and Bute, though this place-name likely shares the Gaelic root “ruadh” meaning “red” rather than directly honouring a person. A further note: Rhuairidh is one of several spelling variants common in the Highlands and islands, with other forms including Ruairidh, Ruary, and the Anglicised Rory, the latter having become far more popular in Scotland since the 1990s while the Gaelic original remains a distinctive choice.