A parent’s search for the "right" baby name can be a long and difficult one, so it’s a rare occasion when a moniker comes along with a nice balance of uniqueness while still not being too out there.

As the the weather gets cooler and we leave summer behind, Ruadh is a strong Irish name with autumnal ties that ticks all the boxes.

Meaning of the name Ruadh

Ruadh (roo-ah) or alternatively spelled Rua, is the Irish word for "red" and is the perfect choice as the leaves start changing colours as we go deeper into autumn.

Ruadhan or Ruadhán (roo-awn) is another similar and equally as lovely option for boys which means "little red-haired one" and is sometimes said to be the Irish version of the name Rowan.

Popularity of the name Ruadh

According to the CSO, since appearing on baby name charts back in 2014, Ruadh has been slowly growing in popularity in Ireland – although it is still quite rare. Last year, Ruadh came in at 268th place with just 16 baby boys given the moniker in 2023 while seven were born with the alternative spelling Rua.

Proving the Irish name’s gender-neutral qualities, three baby girls named Rua were born last year and 11 were welcomed into the world in 2022.

Less than three baby Ruadhdans were born last year while 35 were born back in 2017. The fada spelling was more popular last year with Ruadhán sitting in 166th place, with 31 baby boys given the name.

* This article was originally published on Rollercoaster.ie.