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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Ruairidh

24 replies

MissMoodyMoo · 28/01/2021 22:19

I love the name ruairidh for a boy roo as a pet name between family and I mentioned it to my dad the other day and be just kept saying he will get called "kanga" as in kangaroo!!

Surely not? But now I can't stop thinking about it

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celtiethree · 28/01/2021 22:21

I know a few Ruairidh - Roos no one calls them Kanga.

veeeeh · 28/01/2021 22:22

If you are not in Ireland, I would choose Rory.

partyatthepalace · 28/01/2021 22:23

Rory is lovely. And on the rise.

OwlLovesTea · 28/01/2021 22:25

I like it. Ruari might be an easier option but I can cope with Ruaridh

Bedforme · 28/01/2021 22:26

He might but just as likely to be another nickname.

Do you live in a place where others are likely to know how to say and spell the name? Do you have a surname that is easy to say and spell as DS likely to spend time spelling out ruairidh depending on where in the world he lives.

Viviennemary · 28/01/2021 22:30

I agree with not using that spelling. Nobody will have a clue about how to pronounce or spell it. Rory is quite a nice name.

HeadNorth · 28/01/2021 22:31

We are in Scotland and the Ruairidh in our family has been plagued with people struggling to spell his name - he chose to simplify it to Ruari. He is also called Roo and it is a lovely name. It sounds quite different to Rory.

celtiethree · 28/01/2021 22:31

I think Ruairidh is the Scots gaelic spelling. I much prefer the pronunciation of Ruairidh over Rory. It’s a lovely name.

Original poster

MissMoodyMoo · 28/01/2021 22:35

We are in Scotland and ruairidh is quite common here and our daughter has a gaelic name so I'm not worried about spelling or pronunciation just the whole "kanga" situation. I have a niece that was called Bob once and now thats her nickname and everyone calls her it i don't want him to be plagued with kanga

OP posts:

Appin · 28/01/2021 22:43

We have a Ruaridh. We're in Scotland and it's quite a common name. We often have people asking how to spell it but never any problems with pronunciation.

Appin · 28/01/2021 22:44

I've never heard any one associate it with kangaroos, and we call him Ru most of the time

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 28/01/2021 22:48

If Roo is just a cute nickname for when he's little, would the occasional Kanga really matter? I doubt it would happen, but if it did, he could just go back to Ruairidh surely (which he probably will as he grows older).

topcat2014 · 28/01/2021 22:54

Would be 'roo a rid' to my eyes.

Why inflict that!

BobbinAround · 28/01/2021 22:57

I love it and it was at the top,of our list except that we're no longer living in Scotland and DC would have had a lifetime of people not being able to spell or pronounce it.

We didn't like Rory as an option so chose another Scottish name that was 'easier'. Still love Ruairidh though.

SingingSands · 28/01/2021 22:59

I knew quite a few at school between mine and my siblings year groups, and never once heard any of them being called "Kanga". The one I keep in touch with 25 years later had the nickname "Reg", which has stuck but is actually pretty cool.

It's a fab name.

BackforGood · 28/01/2021 23:01

As you live where people would recognise how to say and spell it,then great. If you didn't . I'd say not to do it.

However, I'm inclined to agree with your Dad, that if I (with my English ears on ) heard a child being called 'Roo', the first thought into my head would be 'Kanga'.

Now, it might be, where you live, lots of people are called Roo and it isn't an issue. However, as you are asking random strangers on the internet, then I agree that my mind worked exactly the same as your Dad's and I suspect we aren't the only two people who would think that.

Whether that bothers you of course, is a different question.

DinnaeFashSassenach · 28/01/2021 23:48

We're in Scotland and it's really common. I could never spell it initially but like anyone else dealing with the public's or friend's names, I learned. It's not that difficult if you're in an area where it's a common name or it's someone who you know.

Now if I lived in Birmingham, Liverpool or Manchester etc I might think it would possibly not be the best idea. No one to have heard of it nor any idea how to say or spell it.

tabulahrasa · 28/01/2021 23:55

Thing is... if he ends up with the sort of friends who give nicknames and he ends up with kanga... it’s not an awful nickname.

It’s not like you’re naming him Joby and I’ve seen that as a serious suggestion on here.

FeedMeSantiago · 29/01/2021 11:50

I know a few Andrews who are nicknamed Roo and have never heard any of them be called Kanga.

Presumably there are quite a few Reubens out there who go by Ru/Roo as well.

I think Ruairidh with Ru/Roo as a nickname is lovely.

DanielODonkey · 31/01/2021 20:32

I love the name, never heard of Kanga being associated with it.

We considered it as a name but I can't really pronounce my Rs properly so it was discounted.

If the spelling is a problem the there are some to choose from
Ruairi
Ruaridh
Ruairidh

Lyricallie · 31/01/2021 20:35

I'm also in Scotland and I've known a few Ruairidhs. It's a lovely name. I've never known any of them to be called "kanga" so I wouldn't worry about that.

Also to people saying spell it "Rory" that's a different name and pronounced differently.

Sausagedog1 · 31/01/2021 20:40

I know a Ruaridh living in England (spelt without the extra i which I think is the most common Scottish spelling)
He is often called Ru. It has never occurred to me to call him Kanga.
Even if someone does, it's hardly the worst insult out there!

Confusednewmum1 · 31/01/2021 20:48

We have a Rhu in the family. My uncle went on about kanga before he was born. Baby Rhu is 3 and there has never been a kanga reference from anyone even grandad x

marshmallowfluffy · 31/01/2021 21:04

I think Ru is very cute and Kanga is not a bad animal to be associated with at all.

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