Diarmuid: Meaning, Pronunciation and Origin
Diarmuid is an old Irish boy’s name of debated meaning, explained by Patrick Woulfe as “a freeman” and by others as “without envy.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated November 2026
- Gender
- Boy
- English forms
- Dermot
- Popularity in Ireland
- No. 272 for boys (2025)
How do you pronounce Diarmuid?
Diarmuid is pronounced DEER-mid. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first.
What does Diarmuid mean?
Diarmuid is an old Irish name whose meaning is debated. Woulfe explains it as “a freeman,” from dí, “without,” and airmit, “injunction”; another suggestion pairs dí with airmait, “envy,” giving “without envy.” Dermot, Dermod and Darby are among its English forms.
It was the name of several early Irish kings and of eleven saints in the Martyrology of Donegal. In legend, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne was a warrior of the Fianna. Gráinne, daughter of the High King Cormac mac Airt, was to marry Fionn mac Cumhaill, but at the feast she bound Diarmuid with a geis, a binding spell, to run away with her. Fionn pursued them, and many Neolithic stone monuments are still called “Diarmuid and Gráinne’s Bed.” Diarmuid was later killed by a boar near Ben Bulben.
Sources: Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923), Wikipedia, Behind the Name, Ó Dónaill's Irish dictionary (teanglann.ie).
Diarmuid in Irish legend
Grainne was the daughter of Cormac MacAirt, the high king of Ireland. No woman could compare to her beauty.
Read The Pursuit of Diarmuid and GráinneHow popular is Diarmuid in Ireland?
In 2025, 16 baby boys in Ireland were named Diarmuid, which made it No. 272 that year. That's down from No. 130 ten years earlier. It was most popular in 2005, when 84 baby boys were named Diarmuid, No. 77 that year. The most babies got the name in 2007: 85. The records go back to 1964, when 25 baby boys were given the name.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 16 | No. 272 |
| 2024 | 15 | No. 275 |
| 2023 | 15 | No. 288 |
| 2022 | 18 | No. 262 |
| 2021 | 33 | No. 164 |
| 2020 | 20 | No. 240 |
| 2019 | 26 | No. 202 |
| 2018 | 36 | No. 163 |
| 2017 | 47 | No. 133 |
| 2016 | 38 | No. 162 |
| 2015 | 47 | No. 130 |
| 2014 | 37 | No. 171 |
| 2013 | 40 | No. 161 |
| 2012 | 47 | No. 148 |
| 2011 | 49 | No. 143 |
| 2010 | 67 | No. 110 |
| 2009 | 43 | No. 152 |
| 2008 | 80 | No. 97 |
| 2007 | 85 | No. 82 |
| 2006 | 69 | No. 91 |
| 2005 | 84 | No. 77 |
| 2004 | 68 | No. 87 |
| 2003 | 56 | No. 97 |
| 2002 | 75 | No. 77 |
| 2001 | 67 | No. 83 |
| 2000 | 62 | No. 84 |
| 1999 | 51 | No. 94 |
| 1998 | 41 | No. 101 |
| 1997 | 49 | No. 103 |
| 1996 | 63 | No. 91 |
| 1995 | 55 | No. 98 |
| 1994 | 58 | No. 94 |
| 1993 | 70 | No. 87 |
| 1992 | 52 | No. 104 |
| 1991 | 46 | No. 108 |
| 1990 | 56 | No. 97 |
| 1989 | 46 | No. 103 |
| 1988 | 59 | No. 89 |
| 1987 | 68 | No. 84 |
| 1986 | 69 | No. 87 |
| 1985 | 59 | No. 95 |
| 1984 | 63 | No. 91 |
| 1983 | 74 | No. 83 |
| 1982 | 75 | No. 85 |
| 1981 | 61 | No. 99 |
| 1980 | 69 | No. 95 |
| 1979 | 51 | No. 110 |
| 1978 | 58 | No. 108 |
| 1977 | 72 | No. 91 |
| 1976 | 62 | No. 102 |
| 1975 | 52 | No. 105 |
| 1974 | 57 | No. 101 |
| 1973 | 49 | No. 105 |
| 1972 | 69 | No. 94 |
| 1971 | 68 | No. 96 |
| 1970 | 41 | No. 105 |
| 1969 | 31 | No. 111 |
| 1968 | 49 | No. 91 |
| 1967 | 42 | No. 93 |
| 1966 | 46 | No. 91 |
| 1965 | 39 | No. 94 |
| 1964 | 25 | No. 109 |
Diarmuid 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 Diarmuid, letter by letter.
- DDair, oak
- IIodhadh, yew
- AAilm, pine
- RRuis, elder
- MMuin, vine
- UÚr, heather
- IIodhadh, yew
- DDair, oak
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Diarmuid
Questions about Diarmuid
- How do you pronounce Diarmuid?
- Diarmuid is pronounced DEER-mid, with two syllables and the stress on the first.
- What does Diarmuid mean?
- Diarmuid is an old Irish boy’s name of debated meaning, explained by Patrick Woulfe as “a freeman” and by others as “without envy.” In Irish legend, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne was a warrior of the Fianna who ran away with Gráinne when she was promised to Fionn mac Cumhaill.
- Is Diarmuid a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Diarmuid is a boy's name.
- What is Diarmuid in English?
- The English form of Diarmuid is Dermot.
- How popular is Diarmuid in Ireland?
- In 2025, Diarmuid was No. 272 for boys in Ireland, with 16 babies, according to the Central Statistics Office. It was most popular in 2005, at No. 77.
Sources: popularity from the Central Statistics Office, table VSA50 (CC BY 4.0). Meaning and origin from Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923), Wikipedia, Behind the Name and Ó Dónaill's Irish dictionary (teanglann.ie). How we research names: our sources. Spotted a mistake? support@babynamesofireland.com