Caireann: Meaning, Pronunciation and Origin
Caireann is an old Irish girl’s name of uncertain origin, perhaps from the Latin Carina, from carus, “dear, beloved.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated November 2026
- Gender
- Girl
- Also spelled
- Cairenn
How do you pronounce Caireann?
Caireann is pronounced CARE-in. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first. Other spellings: Cairenn.
What does Caireann mean?
Caireann is an old Irish name borne in legend by Cairenn Chasdub, the mother of Niall of the Nine Hostages. Its origin is uncertain: the scholar T. F. O’Rahilly argued that it comes from the Latin name Carina, from carus, “dear, beloved,” and that Cairenn herself may have been a Romano-Briton.
In the medieval tale of the sons of Eochaid Mugmedón, she is the High King’s second wife and the daughter of a Saxon king, though Geoffrey Keating calls her the daughter of the king of Britain. The jealous first wife, Mongfind, forces her into heavy labour while she is pregnant, and she gives birth beside a well. Her son Niall, raised by the poet Torna, became the legendary ancestor of the Uí Néill dynasties.
Sources: Wikipedia, Behind the Name.
How popular is Caireann in Ireland?
Caireann wasn't in the 2025 tables, which list names given to at least three babies. It was last recorded in 2010, when 3 baby girls got the name. It was most popular in 2010, when 3 baby girls were named Caireann, No. 910 that year. It first appears in the records in 2010, with 3 baby girls.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 3 | No. 910 |
Caireann in Ogham
Ogham is the oldest way of writing Irish. It was carved along the edges of standing stones, mostly between the 4th and 6th centuries, and read from the bottom up. In later tradition each letter was named after a tree or plant. Here’s Caireann, letter by letter.
- CColl, hazel
- AAilm, pine
- IIodhadh, yew
- RRuis, elder
- EEadhadh, aspen
- AAilm, pine
- NNion, ash
- NNion, ash
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Caireann
Questions about Caireann
- How do you pronounce Caireann?
- Caireann is pronounced CARE-in, with two syllables and the stress on the first.
- What does Caireann mean?
- Caireann is an old Irish girl’s name of uncertain origin, perhaps from the Latin Carina, from carus, “dear, beloved.”
- Is Caireann a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Caireann is a girl's name.
Sources: popularity from the Central Statistics Office, table VSA60 (CC BY 4.0). Meaning and origin from Wikipedia and Behind the Name. How we research names: our sources. Spotted a mistake? support@babynamesofireland.com