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Formal Names for Rory: Aurora, Marjorie, Lorelai

March 16, 2020 By appellationmountain 28 Comments

Formal Names for RoryFormal names for Rory owe much of their existence to Gilmore Girls, the long-running television series about a mother-daughter duo. Both Gilmores bore the name Lorelai, but the younger answered to nickname Rory.

It wasn’t just presented as a fact, either – during the first season, Lorelai talked about the decision in some detail, and her daughter explained her name more than once.

Rory Gilmore wasn’t the first girl to bear this traditionally masculine name. Hollywood icon Errol Flynn welcomed a daughter by the name way back in 1947.

But it turns out lots of  feminine formal names for Rory exist, from traditional to modern.

The idea fits with a big category – boyish nicknames for traditionally feminine choices. If you like the sound of Alex for Alexandra and Charlie for Charlotte, one of these might be the perfect nickname/formal name option for you.

LORELAI, LORELEI

Lorelei: Baby Name of the DayCurrent US popularity ranking: #473 (Lorelei), #568 (Lorelai)

The name that started it all. For seven seasons, we watched two Lorelais, mother and daughter, make their way through life in tiny Stars Hollow and beyond. We later learned that there’s yet another Lorelai, a grandmother called Trix, who started the family custom. It’s a frilly name from German folklore, and a pretty one, too. It was heard in the US before Gilmore Girls, but the show made it mainstream.

Read more about Lorelei here.

AURORA

AuroraCurrent US popularity ranking: #44

Disney used this name for Sleeping Beauty way back in 1959, but it didn’t crack the US Top 100 until 2015. It’s a place name (think Colorado) and a nature name, too. It refers to the polar lights, seen at the north and south poles. And it’s borrowed from mythology, too. The Romans made Aurora goddess of the dawn. Combined with the popular -ora sound, no surprise Aurora is more popular than ever today.

Read more about Aurora here.

CAROLINE

CarolineCurrent US popularity ranking: #55

Classic Caroline comes with a strong “ro” sound built in. Plus, it’s good to have more nickname options besides the obvious Carrie. And Caroline is almost crying out for a boyish nickname. After all, like Charlotte, it started out as a feminine form of the evergreen Charles.

Read more about Caroline here.

CORALINE

CoralineCurrent US popularity ranking: #596

Coraline claims distinct French roots, but author Neil Gaiman arrived at the name by reversing the ‘o’ and the ‘a’ in Caroline. While the RO sound isn’t quite present in Coraline, I still think it’s close enough to work. And maybe that’s true for other Cora names, too – Cordelia, Coralie, even just Cora?

Read more about Coraline here.

DOROTHY

DorothyCurrent US popularity ranking: #586

Dolly is darling, and Dot is downright sweet. But Rory might be the coolest possible nickname for this vintage, storybook name. Brother name Theodore is a Top 100 favorite for boys nowadays. Dorothy Gale went somewhere over the rainbow; a Dorothy called Rory would surely have equally intriguing adventures.

Read more about Dorothy here.

FLORENCE

FlorenceCurrent US popularity ranking: #971

If Aurora and the Coras can get us to Rory, so can the Floras. Not that Florence is short on possible nicknames. (There’s Flossie, Florrie, and if you’re an insurance spokesperson, Flo.) It’s a strongly Irish nickname for a romantic Italian city, and yet I think it works just fine.

Read more about Florence here.

MARJORIE

MarjorieCurrent US popularity ranking: unranked

Marjorie-called-Marge is your favorite great aunt. Or the mom from The Simpsons. But this medieval form of Margaret, and 1920s favorite, feels like it should be ready for revival. Maybe all it would take is the idea of sparky nickname Rory to help parents see Marjorie as perfect for a newborn daughter.

Read more about Marjorie here.

ROSEMARIE, ROSEMARY

RosemaryCurrent US popularity ranking: #454 (Rosemary) and unranked (Rosemarie)

More than one of the Rose names might shorten to Rory. The likeliest candidates might be those with a second ‘r’ sound, like Rosemary and Rosemarie. There’s precedent for a contracted nickname: the German Romy comes from these longer names, too. They’re among the most obvious formal names for Rory.

Read more about Rosemarie here.

VICTORIA

VictoriaCurrent US popularity ranking: #21

File Victoria with those classic girl names rich in diminutives. Among them? Tori, long considered a reasonable nickname for Victoria. It’s just a hop, skip, and a jump from Tori to Rory. If you love the regal elegance of Victoria, but long for a playful nickname option, Victoria-called-Rory might be just the thing.

Read more about Victoria here.

Would you ever consider Rory for a girl? If so, would you use a longer form?  And are there any possibilities that I’ve missed?

First published on August 3, 2012, this post was revised substantially and re-published on March 16, 2020.

Formal Names for Rory

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  • Cora Names: Coralie, Cordelia, and MoreCora Names: Coralie, Cordelia, and More
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Comments

  1. Sarah says

    April 7, 2021 at 12:56 PM

    Rory is also good as a nickname for Maiara or Maria

    Reply
  2. Jonquil says

    March 17, 2020 at 11:58 PM

    A combo like Roxana Rhiannon or Rowena Riley could lead to Rory.

    Reply
  3. A says

    March 16, 2020 at 10:48 AM

    Do you think Rory could work for Georgia? Talk about sass and spunk!

    Reply
    • EleanorKennedy says

      November 29, 2021 at 7:50 PM

      I think Georgia is a pretty name and Georgia-called-Rory is a bit of a stretch but it would make for a regal nickname for Georgia.

      Reply
  4. Danielle says

    March 11, 2017 at 8:58 PM

    I like the nn Rory for a girl and wanted to find a name it could be shortened from…I was wondering if Lenore/Lenora would work..?

    Reply
  5. Tonya says

    January 1, 2017 at 5:41 PM

    My daughter’s name is Rory Lynn, and my husband and I love her name as does everyone else we meet. We always get compliments on it. She is 5, very girly, but rough and tough. It suits her perfect. To each their own. I don’t think it is any different in people naming their little girl Charlie, Hayden, Noah, etc…

    Reply
  6. Terry says

    September 13, 2016 at 10:57 AM

    I named my daughter Rori Kathleen Flynn… Rori is perfect for her..

    Reply
  7. Karen Elizabeth says

    August 10, 2016 at 10:38 AM

    I would go with Rorie for a girl – I think the -ie gives it a feminine touch. And no need for a nick name. And then give a truly feminine middle name so she is not completely “unisex”.

    Reply
  8. Jennifer says

    September 26, 2015 at 9:05 PM

    My daughter’s name is Victoria but we call her Rory.

    Reply
  9. Lyr says

    September 28, 2012 at 9:54 PM

    I use to know a girl named Rory, and it wasn’t until later that I found out her name was actually Tzipporah.

    Reply
  10. Panya says

    September 1, 2012 at 11:01 AM

    Some not mentioned: Amideror, Amiderora, Amidror, Amidrora, Aurore, Deror, Derora, Derori, Deroria, Derorit, Deroriya, Dror, Drora, Drori, Droria, Drorit, Droriya, Leederor, Leederora, Leedror, Leedrora, Lideror, Liderora, Lidror, Lidrora, Magenderora, Magendrora, Serora, Tserora, Tzerora, Zerora

    Reply
  11. Hugz says

    August 13, 2012 at 5:46 PM

    I could not convince my husband that Aurora (NN Rory) would be a perfect name for our first born daughter. I love the astral connection and the disney connection just made it cuter. I also love the meaning of Rory by itself – Red King… and thought being a family of redheads, it was kinda funky. The same old argument came up when I fell pregnant with daughter #2. Alas, I have no children with this name, but if I were to ever meet a little Aurora/Rory, I might just swoon.

    Reply
  12. Ava says

    August 10, 2012 at 6:55 AM

    I couldn’t use Rory as a girls name personally, because I have a close (male) friend who bears the name. However, I love the Gilmore girls, and could easily see a girl Rory.

    Reply
  13. Kimberly says

    August 7, 2012 at 8:07 PM

    I like Rory, and I love Marjorie and Florence, but I may go with Marji and Florrie, because they’re happier somehow to me. I also like Loretta and Rory could work for that name, but Lottie would too.

    Reply
  14. Julie says

    August 4, 2012 at 1:02 AM

    The only female Rory I know IRL is actually named Aurora. She’s more tomboy than Disney Princess, so Rory suits her best.

    On a trip through Norway, my tour-guide was named Roar. Since many of the Americans in our tour couldn’t pronounce it correctly, he preferred that we just call him Rory. With that in mind, I’m thinking Rory would work as a feminine form of Roger and it’s a lot more elegant than Rogeria.

    Reply
  15. Lola says

    August 3, 2012 at 4:32 PM

    I dislike Rory on a girl period. I don’t like it as a nickname either. As a Laura who got Lola as a kid, I feel like I escaped a fate worse than death! Lori is AWFUL to me (sorry), but I’ve also gotten Rora from my Chinese GF’s parents, so yeah, Rory *could* work. But really? blech.

    Reply
  16. KO says

    August 3, 2012 at 11:48 AM

    I don’t care for Rory on either sex and I wonder at it’s popularity. To my ears it sounds like Scooby Doo trying to say Lori.

    Reply
  17. Kristin says

    August 3, 2012 at 10:12 AM

    I truly love Rory for either gender, though I prefer it as a nickname to a more feminine full name for girls. Marjorie nicknamed Rory ir really standing out to me. I love Lorelei nicknamed Rory, too, but worry it’s TOO Gilmore Girls.

    Reply
  18. Tracy says

    August 3, 2012 at 9:27 AM

    I love Rory as a nickname for Aurelia. That was my name waaaaay back in my high school Latin classes, and Rory is my father-in-law’s name. I think it could work!

    I am also completely enamored with what Names4Real said about Rory working for Caroline, too… Caroline is at the top of our contenders list, and that makes it even MORE appealing to me!

    Reply
  19. Filipa says

    August 3, 2012 at 9:24 AM

    Maybe Veronica, Victoria or Henriqueta…

    Reply
  20. Names4Real says

    August 3, 2012 at 9:17 AM

    I like it as a nickname for Dorothy. Good suggestion.

    Coraline made me think Rory could be a nickname for Caroline too.

    What about Veronica, Victoria, and Gloria?

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      August 3, 2012 at 10:13 AM

      I’ve never thought of Rory as a nickname for Victoria! Victoria is one of the husband’s favorites that I love as well. We’ve shied away from it because of our mutual dislike of Vickie and Tori. I’ll have to run Rory by him. Great suggestion!

      Reply
      • Fran says

        August 3, 2012 at 12:23 PM

        What about Cora as an unusual nickname for Victoria?

        Reply
  21. Swan says

    August 3, 2012 at 8:30 AM

    LOVE Rory for a girl (in fact, I love all those tomboy nns), but never much fancied Aurora or Loralei.

    I love the idea of Margorie nn Rory! I never would have thought that before, but now I look at it, it makes perfect sense.

    Reply
  22. Charlotte Vera says

    August 3, 2012 at 2:24 AM

    If any name with “or” in it is serviceable then I suppose one could also get to Rory with Deborah (very updated from Debbie!) and Zipporah as well. Even Laura might do. Growing up I had a friend named Lorianne. She usually went by her full name or by Lori, which is only a short step to Rory.

    I recently completed something of a Doctor Who marathon. Since one of the current main characters of the show is a man named Rory, I’m having a hard time seeing this as a girl’s name.

    Reply
    • Caitlin B says

      August 3, 2012 at 12:47 PM

      My grandmother was Rosanna and so were two of her cousins. They were all born in Ireland and she went by Rory while one cousin was Anna and the last kept Rosanna. My female cousin’s name is Rory – not Rosanna, but still named for our grandma. Cousin Rory just had a little boy and named him Eamon (<3)!

      Also, Charlotte Vera – love Doctor Who!! But Rory is more feminine to me (even though I know it comes from Ruari) because of my family.

      Reply
      • Charlotte Vera says

        August 3, 2012 at 4:31 PM

        Fascinating! My own daughter is Roseanna, but due to an early inability to pronounce her own name she often goes by Zanna. Incidentally, my husband’s ethnic background is half Irish (dad’s side) and half Metis (mum’s side). Roseanna was named for her francophone Metis grandmother (hence the spelling), but it’s interesting to know that the name isn’t completely out of place with her Irish heritage.

        Reply
        • Caitlin B says

          August 4, 2012 at 11:19 AM

          Zanna is adorable, I love that. I had to google Metis and fell into a super interesting Wiki-hole, so thanks for that! 🙂

          Reply

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