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Ruaraidh

Boy name · 446 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Ruaraidh: 446 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 19 births in 1991.

From the Gaelic roots of Scotland, Ruaraidh means "red king," combining *ruadh* (red) with *rìgh* (king), a name that speaks to fiery leadership. Its most famous bearer was Ruaraidh Erskine of Mar, the 20th-century Scottish nationalist and poet who championed the Gaelic language. Though no major places bear the name directly, the Isle of Arran shares the same etymological red—*Arran* itself deriving from a word meaning "high place" linked to the same root. A beloved variant is Rory, its anglicised form that has travelled far beyond Scotland. Intriguingly, Ruaraidh has seen a steady if modest revival in modern Scotland, often chosen by parents seeking a traditional Gaelic name with genuine historical weight.