Eimear: Meaning, Pronunciation and Origin
Eimear is an Irish girl's name from legend: the wife of the hero Cuchulainn, said to have all six gifts of womanhood. Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated September 2026
- Gender
- Girl
- Also spelled
- Emer
- Popularity in Ireland
- No. 207 for girls (2025)
How do you pronounce Eimear?
Eimear is pronounced EE-mer. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first. Other spellings: Emer.
What does Eimear mean?
Eimear possessed the “Six Gifts of Womanhood” – “beauty, a gentle voice, sweet words, wisdom, needlework and chastity!” She was betrothed to the warrior Cuchulainn (read the legend) when they were children and they loved each other very deeply. But Cuchulainn had “a wandering eye” and Eimear endured this, realizing “everything new is fair,” but when he made love to Fand, wife of the sea god Manannan, Eimear confronted the lovers. After seeing the strength of Fand’s love she offered to withdraw. Touched by this display of unselfishness, Fand left Cuchulainn and returned to the sea. When Cuchulainn died Eimear spoke movingly and lovingly at his graveside.
How popular is Eimear in Ireland?
In 2025, 21 baby girls in Ireland were named Eimear, which made it No. 207 that year. That's down from No. 94 ten years earlier. It was most popular in 1996, when 222 baby girls were named Eimear, No. 26 that year. The records go back to 1964, when 5 baby girls were given the name.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 21 | No. 207 (Eimear) |
| 2024 | 14 | No. 294 (Eimear) |
| 2023 | 17 | No. 237 (Eimear) |
| 2022 | 21 | No. 237 (Eimear) |
| 2021 | 31 | No. 177 (Eimear) |
| 2020 | 31 | No. 157 (Eimear) |
| 2019 | 38 | No. 141 (Eimear) |
| 2018 | 43 | No. 128 (Eimear) |
| 2017 | 57 | No. 105 (Eimear) |
| 2016 | 50 | No. 121 (Eimear) |
| 2015 | 67 | No. 94 (Eimear) |
| 2014 | 53 | No. 112 (Eimear) |
| 2013 | 52 | No. 116 (Eimear) |
| 2012 | 81 | No. 80 (Eimear) |
| 2011 | 89 | No. 84 (Eimear) |
| 2010 | 91 | No. 77 (Eimear) |
| 2009 | 102 | No. 73 (Eimear) |
| 2008 | 125 | No. 58 (Eimear) |
| 2007 | 137 | No. 51 (Eimear) |
| 2006 | 138 | No. 48 (Eimear) |
| 2005 | 148 | No. 44 (Eimear) |
| 2004 | 135 | No. 43 (Eimear) |
| 2003 | 125 | No. 46 (Eimear) |
| 2002 | 133 | No. 43 (Eimear) |
| 2001 | 146 | No. 40 (Eimear) |
| 2000 | 168 | No. 33 (Eimear) |
| 1999 | 148 | No. 35 (Eimear) |
| 1998 | 140 | No. 29 (Eimear) |
| 1997 | 197 | No. 30 (Eimear) |
| 1996 | 222 | No. 26 (Eimear) |
| 1995 | 156 | No. 35 (Eimear) |
| 1994 | 147 | No. 38 (Eimear) |
| 1993 | 150 | No. 40 (Eimear) |
| 1992 | 176 | No. 32 (Eimear) |
| 1991 | 110 | No. 62 (Eimear) |
| 1990 | 123 | No. 51 (Eimear) |
| 1989 | 134 | No. 50 (Eimear) |
| 1988 | 148 | No. 48 (Eimear) |
| 1987 | 117 | No. 69 (Eimear) |
| 1986 | 165 | No. 48 (Eimear) |
| 1985 | 148 | No. 51 (Eimear) |
| 1984 | 112 | No. 73 (Eimear) |
| 1983 | 166 | No. 54 (Eimear) |
| 1982 | 184 | No. 49 (Eimear) |
| 1981 | 136 | No. 65 (Eimear) |
| 1980 | 181 | No. 53 (Eimear) |
| 1979 | 124 | No. 74 (Eimear) |
| 1978 | 83 | No. 98 (Eimear) |
| 1977 | 87 | No. 96 (Eimear) |
| 1976 | 85 | No. 98 (Eimear) |
| 1975 | 64 | No. 119 (Eimear) |
| 1974 | 59 | No. 129 (Eimear) |
| 1973 | 45 | No. 151 (Eimear) |
| 1972 | 32 | No. 173 (Eimear) |
| 1971 | 38 | No. 158 (Eimear) |
| 1970 | 28 | No. 172 (Eimear) |
| 1969 | 26 | No. 181 (Eimear) |
| 1968 | 9 | No. 258 (Eimear) |
| 1967 | 18 | No. 189 (Eimear) |
| 1966 | 26 | No. 162 (Eimear) |
| 1965 | 16 | No. 194 (Eimear) |
| 1964 | 5 | No. 300 (Eimear) |
Eimear 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 Eimear, letter by letter.
- EEadhadh, aspen
- IIodhadh, yew
- MMuin, vine
- EEadhadh, aspen
- AAilm, pine
- RRuis, elder
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Eimear
Questions about Eimear
- How do you pronounce Eimear?
- Eimear is pronounced EE-mer. Two syllables, stress on the first.
- Is Eimear a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Eimear is a girl's name.
- How popular is Eimear in Ireland?
- In 2025, Eimear was No. 207 for girls in Ireland, with 21 babies, according to the Central Statistics Office. It was most popular in 1996, at No. 26.