Etain: Meaning, Pronunciation and Origin
Etain is an Irish girl's name meaning “jealousy.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated September 2026
- Meaning
- Jealousy
- Gender
- Girl
How do you pronounce Etain?
Etain is pronounced e-TANE. It has two syllables, with the stress on the second.
What does Etain mean?
Etain comes from et meaning “jealousy”. Etain surpassed all other women of her time in beauty and gentleness and thus was an object of jealousy herself. When the fairy king Midir fell in love with her his wife, Fuamnach, transformed Etain into a scarlet fly that was blown over the ocean for seven years. When she was finally able to return to Ireland she fell into a glass of wine which was drunk by a woman who longed for a child. In this way Etain was reborn and she later married a High King of Ireland.
How popular is Etain in Ireland?
Etain wasn't in the 2025 tables, which list names given to at least three babies. It was last recorded in 2022, when 3 baby girls got the name. It was most popular in 2004, when 8 baby girls were named Etain, No. 370 that year. The most babies got the name in 2015: 11. It first appears in the records in 1969, with 3 baby girls.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 3 | No. 905 |
| 2017 | 8 | No. 471 |
| 2016 | 6 | No. 585 |
| 2015 | 11 | No. 402 |
| 2014 | 3 | No. 876 |
| 2013 | 4 | No. 747 |
| 2012 | 4 | No. 768 |
| 2011 | 8 | No. 510 |
| 2010 | 3 | No. 910 |
| 2009 | 8 | No. 488 |
| 2007 | 3 | No. 842 |
| 2005 | 4 | No. 587 |
| 2004 | 8 | No. 370 |
| 2002 | 3 | No. 620 |
| 2001 | 3 | No. 606 |
| 1996 | 3 | No. 534 |
| 1992 | 4 | No. 456 |
| 1987 | 3 | No. 488 |
| 1984 | 4 | No. 459 |
| 1979 | 4 | No. 467 |
| 1978 | 3 | No. 522 |
| 1977 | 3 | No. 518 |
| 1975 | 3 | No. 503 |
| 1973 | 3 | No. 508 |
| 1969 | 3 | No. 443 |
Etain 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 Etain, letter by letter.
- EEadhadh, aspen
- TTinne, holly
- AAilm, pine
- IIodhadh, yew
- NNion, ash
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Etain
Questions about Etain
- How do you pronounce Etain?
- Etain is pronounced e-TANE. Two syllables, stress on the second. There's a short video above where you can hear it said.
- What does Etain mean?
- Etain means “jealousy.”
- Is Etain a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Etain is a girl's name.