Rua
Say it: ROO-a/ɾˠuə/
Boy and boyIrishMeans red, red-haired3 letters2 syllables
#329
in Ireland (2025)
#276 with spellings combined
15
babies in 2025
#249
best rank (2021)
154
babies since 2008
Up 229
10-year rank change
Rua through the years
Compare with another name →boysgirls
Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | #276 | 8 | #435 |
| 2024 | 13 | #293 | 11 | #341 |
| 2023 | 7 | #460 | 3 | #832 |
| 2022 | 18 | #252 | 11 | #354 |
| 2021 | 18 | #249 | - | - |
| 2020 | 13 | #315 | - | - |
| 2019 | 13 | #311 | 4 | #700 |
| 2018 | 9 | #384 | 4 | #715 |
| 2017 | 11 | #356 | - | - |
| 2016 | 10 | #372 | - | - |
| 2015 | 6 | #505 | - | - |
| 2014 | 4 | #609 | - | - |
| 2013 | 6 | #479 | - | - |
| 2009 | 8 | #404 | - | - |
| 2008 | 3 | #698 | - | - |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0. Spellings with and without fadas are combined; the CSO only recorded fadas from 2018.
★ What does Rua mean?
Red, red-haired
Irish, from the adjective rua (red, red-haired), from Old Irish rúad.
Say it right
ROOa
The two vowels run together, so it can sound almost like one syllable, ROO-uh.
Not:ROORU-ay
The story of Rua
Rua is the Irish word for red, and especially for red hair. It comes from Old Irish rúad, which is related to the English word red. In older Irish it could also mean fierce or strong. It was often used as a nickname added to a person’s name, as in Aodh Rua Ó Dónaill, the sixteenth-century Donegal chief known in English as Red Hugh O’Donnell. As a first name on its own it is a modern choice.
Rua first appears in the CSO records for boys in 2008, with 3 babies. Its best year so far was 2021, with 18 boys, and in 2025 it was number 276 once spellings are combined. The CSO counts Rua and Rúa separately.
It is also given to girls. It first reached the girls’ list in 2018, and 11 girls were named Rua in 2022. Boys still outnumber girls, but a colour word suits either.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: rua (Irish adjective)
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Rua | 12 | 151 |
| Rúa | 3 | 3 |
In Northern Ireland
Not in the 2025 list. Best rank #232 (2023); 8 babies since 2023.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.
Rua is also given to girls: 41 since 2018, 8 in 2025.