Is this an unusual name?

[N0ManJan]

I had a DS in May, who we named Rory. A few months ago we took him to the seaside for a walk along the beach whilst the weather was nice. Whilst we were there an older couple (middle aged, probably 50s or 60s not elderly) approached and asked what our baby was called. The lady said “oh that’s nice. I could tell by the way you were interacting that he would have a strong but unusual name”.

It was a lovely comment and I often think of her, but I’m not sure I’d agree that Rory is unusual? I see it a lot on the baby name boards, although I don’t know a Rory in real life.

What do you think?

Not unusual but certainly not common - I've maybe met 1-2 in my life that I recall. I love it!

Not unusual.

It's uncommon but not unusual, but becoming more common I think.

How rude of her, she was being very snidey. I'm glad you ignored her.

Don't worry @N0ManJan Rory is really not unusual whatsoever (you sound like your preference would be for a more usual name rather than unusual?)

In the last 10 years Rory has massively increased in popularity and has risen over 100 places in that time in the charts. Based on that trend it looks set to be top 30 in next couple of years or so. Here's the graph using the official statistics, notice the massive upswing especially in last 3 years or so:

names.darkgreener.com/#rory

I only know 2, and I can't remember how one of them spells it.
Surely people will have heard of Rorys Bremner, MacGrath, Stewart, Gallagher, McIlroy to name a few.

I'd say they were just making conversation.

It's funny. If I think about it I don't know any young boys called Rory. I know a girl Aurora nn Rory. But it feels like a classic name.

A few people saying she wasn’t being nice is making me smile because I remember getting in the car to go home and saying to DP what a lovely woman and he thought she was being rude! I was in that weird haze of having such a small baby but I thought she meant it as a compliment.

I don’t mind if it’s too common or uncommon really, were in Yorkshire so maybe it’s not popular here yet. I just thought it was quite popular as I saw it creeping up the charts. I love Rory for a girl as well (Gilmore Girls fan) but DP thought that was a bit too out there.

She sounds nuts so I would forget it!

I have a Rory and its the most gorgeous boys name ever! Definitely not very common place though rising in popularity.

I thought at the time it was because I was carrying him in a sling and maybe she hadn’t seen many before? He was at the stage where they just start to take notice of the world so we were speaking to him just normal things pointing out the sand and sky. I probably looked very bedraggled and not at all as ethereal as I felt!!
The more I think of it the more I think she wasn’t being as kind as I first thought

Number 46 in 2019

names.darkgreener.com/#rory

I know 5, age 3 to 27

It's not common like, for instance, Jack, George or Harry, but certainly not unusual and definitely not unique! But I'm from an Irish background, where it's more common (together with the Gaelic spelling).

FWIW, I think it's a lovely name.

I am in Scotland, not an unusual name here. Relatively popular in all ages and also dogs! Nice name though x

Well it's not as popular as Charlie/Jack/Amelia where I live, I know lots of these. They're very nice names but there are so many! The lady was probably just trying to say something nice, it's my experience that people will try to compliment a baby in some way when they meet one.

We have Rory opposite us, he's a boy racer with a constant supply of snazzy hatchbacks. He's a nice lad!

Currently, Rory is ranked 10 in Scotland and 47 in England.

I think it can be a generational thing with perceiving names as popular or not.

No

Lol she sounds nuts.

Love Rory, it's neither common or unusual I'd say.

In over 20 years of teaching I’ve taught just one Rory. He was/is a lovely character. Strong, popular and handsome. It’s a great name.

It’s neither popular nor unusual. It’s a classic name and a good choice.

Uncommon but not unusual.

All I have in my head now is
‘Roary, the racing car; Roary, me number one star’!

Can’t leave the house without encountering a little Rory where I live. But strangely, every parent of a Rory I’ve spoken to seem to think they’ve made an unusual choice. Guess this is due to its sudden surge in popularity. Fifteen years ago perhaps it would have been unusual, but certainly not now.