[name_m]Hi[/name_m] everyone!
[name_f]My[/name_f] first son is named [name_m]Simon[/name_m] and I’m expecting another boy in [name_u]January[/name_u]. We’ve narrowed it down to [name_u]Rory[/name_u] or [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] and love them both but would love some feedback!
We live in the southeast US and I’m worried people will only associate [name_u]Rory[/name_u] with [name_m]Gilmore[/name_m] Girls, even though my husband loves it and we have a really close male friend named [name_u]Rory[/name_u] who is [name_u]Irish[/name_u].
With [name_u]Rhys[/name_u], I personally love the traditional spelling but my husband feels like it’s going to be a pain forever for him to have to explain no matter how we spell it.
What do you guys think? Middle name will probably be a longer C name, like [name_u]Callahan[/name_u] or [name_u]Calloway[/name_u]. Last name starts with a C as well, one syllable.
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I like both [name_u]Rory[/name_u] and [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] a lot.
[name_u]Rory[/name_u] is all-boy to me - I wouldn’t think of [name_m]Gilmore[/name_m] Girls at all.
[name_u]Rhys[/name_u] is cool too. The spelling would require explanation, probably.
I would vote for [name_u]Rory[/name_u], as I don’t like the flow of a one syllable FN with a similarly short LN.
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Both are so lovely with [name_m]Simon[/name_m]!
I’m not American nor have I watched [name_m]Gilmore[/name_m] Girls, but [name_u]Rory[/name_u] ranked number 280 for boys in 2022, so the association isn’t so overwhelming that people aren’t using it, I think it’s fine! And as for [name_u]Rhys[/name_u], he may have to explain that it’s R-h-y-s and not R-e-e-s-e sometimes, but I don’t think that’s the end of the world either. Both names are great choices despite these minor issues!
[name_f]My[/name_f] personal favourite is [name_u]Rory[/name_u], I just love the fresh, lively sound.
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Thank you! The syllable flow is definitely more balanced with [name_u]Rory[/name_u]
That’s a good point! [name_f]My[/name_f] husband strongly prefers [name_u]Rory[/name_u] so I think it’s likely the contender. Thank you!
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[name_u]Rhys[/name_u]! Solid, classic and charming and I think it fits the vibes of [name_m]Simon[/name_m] better
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I vote Rhys!!
I have a daughter named “Reese” I’m obviously a huge fan of the name. I love the spelling of “Rhys” it’s so masculine. 
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I think [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] fits better with [name_m]Simon[/name_m] but I’m also on team Rory-is-a-boy-name, it’s so cuddly and dashing and still sounds weird to me on a girl!
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[name_u]Rory[/name_u] sounds better with [name_m]Simon[/name_m]!
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[name_u]Rhys[/name_u]
[name_f]My[/name_f] brother is [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] and it’s very rare that the spelling has been an issue
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My brother is Rhys - and no significant problem with the spelling. I see Reese as the feminine version. I love this Welsh spelling for a boy! I find Rhys (the name) to be strong, intriguing, stylish and cheeky-chappy. I like Rory and it’s currently more hip/trendy in my mind. Rory is handsome like Rhys but Rory feels more rugged, outdoorsy and sturdy (I wouldn’t worry about Gilmore Girls, it’s a very boyish name). They’re both youthful and happy names. I see Rory as more likeable and perhaps a little naive compared to Rhys, and Rhys, a bit more cocky and sleek. They are good choices - just slightly different ones. Good luck!
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[name_u]Rhys[/name_u] is my favourite! I think it goes well with [name_m]Simon[/name_m] and both [name_u]Calloway[/name_u] and [name_u]Callahan[/name_u] (which are amazing names as well!)
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I know a little baby boy named [name_u]Rory[/name_u], so I don’t associate it with [name_m]Gilmore[/name_m] Girls at all. I do find it trickier to say than [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] though, so I prefer [name_u]Rhys[/name_u].
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As a mom of a 7-year-old boy named [name_u]Rory[/name_u] in the US Midwest, I can say that the reception of his name has been overwhelmingly positive. There was one woman at my husband’s work who read his birth announcement and assumed he was a girl, but most people seem to have enough association with male Rorys like the golfer [name_u]Rory[/name_u] McIlroy that it’s not an issue. We run into one girl occasionally named [name_f]Aurora[/name_f] who is sometimes nicknamed [name_u]Rory[/name_u], but most Rorys we hear about or meet are male. And lots of people have given us great comments-- that’s my favorite name, I always loved it from a character in my favorite book, we considered that name for our son, et cetera.
So! I think you will not run into the [name_m]Gilmore[/name_m] Girls issue often, and that the positives of the name far outweigh the negatives. And, obviously, I prefer it to [name_u]Rhys[/name_u]. Go for it!
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This is super helpful! Thank you!
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I really like [name_u]Rory[/name_u] alongside [name_m]Simon[/name_m].
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[name_u]Rory[/name_u] and [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] are both lovely names!
With [name_u]Rory[/name_u], I don’t at all associate it with [name_m]Gilmore[/name_m] Girls when I hear it, even though I watched the show. Also, the show’s popularity is dying down, so that probably wouldn’t even be a connection to be made by his peers. I’ve met three Rorys who were all male, so it’s a quite masculine name to me. I love the rugged but sweet sound, and I think it pairs well enough with [name_m]Simon[/name_m].
As for [name_u]Rhys[/name_u], I think it shares a more similar vibe with [name_m]Simon[/name_m]. I slightly prefer the [name_u]Reese[/name_u] spelling, only for its simplicity. If you prefer [name_u]Rhys[/name_u], I don’t think it would be a big issue if you’re prepared for a few misspellings. [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] also removes some of the connection to the candy (I had a friend [name_u]Reese[/name_u] in highschool who was occasionally teased because of this, but not at all negatively; it’s not a bad association). I absolutely love the sound of [name_u]Rhys[/name_u], I find it’s just really pleasing to the ear.
Overall, I think my vote goes to [name_u]Rhys[/name_u]. Congrats and good luck!
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[name_u]Love[/name_u] [name_u]Rhys[/name_u]! Pairs great with [name_m]Simon[/name_m].
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I love [name_u]Rhys[/name_u], it’s handsome and strong. If you’re worried about pronunciation problems, I would go with [name_u]Reece[/name_u]. [name_m]Simon[/name_m] and [name_u]Reece[/name_u] sounds like a great sibset team to me.
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