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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Rua for a boy?

55 replies

CSMF · 29/03/2025 18:39

Pronounced ROO-ah.

Baby boy will grow up in England if that affects your judgement at all.

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SallyWD · 30/03/2025 21:36

It means street in Portuguese

Original poster
CSMF · 30/03/2025 21:12

Thanks for all the thoughts. Baby will be half Irish but the Ruadh spelling will be tricky in England. I like the simplicity of Rua too. Glad most seem neutral or favourable towards it.

OP posts:
Mumdiva99 · 30/03/2025 10:30

What about Ruel? I don't know where it comes from. But I know an adult with this name.

Neversayit · 30/03/2025 10:28

It literally means red (haired).
If your son is likely to be very blonde or dark it would seem a little strange to me.
It probably won’t matter so much in England though.

timoteigirl · 30/03/2025 09:27

I would assume it's a girl because of the name ending in A and being short, like Ava, Ida, Mia, Thea etc.

user1492757084 · 30/03/2025 07:48

Ruadh is what I prefer, by far.

Also Reuben and Rupert.

caramac04 · 30/03/2025 07:47

I really like it. It’s not a name I’m familiar with but yes, I think it’s a great name.

Bluelavenders · 30/03/2025 07:45

I like Rua

Other boys names end in a, like Ezra, Luca, Noah

Neversayit · 30/03/2025 02:48

TiredArtTeacher · 29/03/2025 18:45

It’s the Irish word for red hair and it’s sometimes used as a name.

Show quote history

It was traditionally used more as a nickname, or as an addition to a name, than as a name in its own right though.
It is used on its own now, but it’s not that common.

I think in England people might mistakenly assume it’s a girl, as English male names don’t usually end in the letter a.

SnowFrogJelly · 30/03/2025 02:05

Nah

YoungSoak · 30/03/2025 02:05

I think it’s gorgeous. I also love Ruan

GPMK · 30/03/2025 00:58

Is this your second child?
Rua means number two in Māori.

If you have other children do they have number names too?

DramaAlpaca · 30/03/2025 00:43

I really like it, but I'm in Ireland and it sounds like a normal but unusual name to me.

nzeire · 29/03/2025 23:45

Gorgeous name, means two in Māori

RuthW · 29/03/2025 23:36

Awful for a boy. Ok for a girl.

BrokenLine · 29/03/2025 23:25

Theyreeatingthedogs · 29/03/2025 23:19

Call him Donald. I've heard people say it's the best name. They're saying it everywhere. Everywhere I tell you.

I think you mean ‘The Donald’.

Theyreeatingthedogs · 29/03/2025 23:19

Call him Donald. I've heard people say it's the best name. They're saying it everywhere. Everywhere I tell you.

PeatandDieselfan · 29/03/2025 22:56

I dunno, I'm Scottish, so my first thought was why not Ruaraidh?

uncomfortablydumb60 · 29/03/2025 22:55

I really like it

Pumpkincozynights · 29/03/2025 22:54

I’ve never heard of it, where is it from?

RogueFemale · 29/03/2025 22:37

Really don't like the name. Sounds like a female name.

Plus, endless spelling it out when older. Rooah, Rooer, Roouh, Ruer, Ruuh, endless.

Sounds like a grunt, rrrrhhhuuuuh.

anonhop · 29/03/2025 21:16

Apologies for earlier post. Didn’t connect it to Ruadh written down- that’s the dyslexia! Didn’t see it as a connected name

loropianalover · 29/03/2025 19:32

anonhop · 29/03/2025 18:44

Assuming this is trolling but in case it isn’t, please don’t do this!

Ryan
Roo (only short for Andrew, not on its own!)
Ralph
Ross
Rick (preferably short for Richard)

Rua is a completely normal name.

I prefer Ruadh but understand that Rua might work better for England.

mathanxiety · 29/03/2025 19:30

I disagree wrt Ruan. It would be pronounced "Ruin" in the UK, and if the OP were to spell it Ruadhan and put a fada on the last A it would still baffle some.

If Fox is acceptable as a name then so is Rua.

Moreteaandchocolate · 29/03/2025 19:24

TennesseeStella · 29/03/2025 18:46

I much prefer Ruan. That extra letter just makes it sound more like a name than a random word.

I agree