Eirnin: Meaning, Pronunciation and Origin
Eirnin is an Irish boy's name meaning “iron.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated September 2026
- Irish spelling
- Éirnín
- Meaning
- Iron
- Gender
- Boy
- English forms
- Ernan, Ernest
How do you pronounce Eirnin?
Eirnin is pronounced AIR-nin. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first.
What does Eirnin mean?
Meaning “iron.” The name is often linked with Ernest, a Germanic word meaning “vigor.” The name of sixteen Irish saints, St. Eirnin is the patron saint of Tory, an island off the coast of County Donegal.
How popular is Eirnin in Ireland?
Eirnin is rare in Ireland. Since 1964, fewer than three baby boys a year have been registered with the name, so it doesn't appear in the Central Statistics Office's baby name tables.
Source: Central Statistics Office, Irish Babies’ Names 2025 and its boys' names table.
Eirnin 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 Eirnin, letter by letter.
- EEadhadh, aspen
- IIodhadh, yew
- RRuis, elder
- NNion, ash
- IIodhadh, yew
- NNion, ash
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Eirnin
Questions about Eirnin
- How do you pronounce Eirnin?
- Eirnin is pronounced AIR-nin. Two syllables, stress on the first.
- What does Eirnin mean?
- Eirnin means “iron.”
- Is Eirnin a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Eirnin is a boy's name.
- How do you spell Eirnin in Irish?
- In Irish it's spelled Éirnín.
- What is Eirnin in English?
- The English forms of Eirnin are Ernan and Ernest.
- Is Eirnin a rare name?
- Yes. Fewer than three boys a year are registered as Eirnin in Ireland, too few to appear in the Central Statistics Office's tables.