Hugh: Meaning, Pronunciation and Origin

Hugh is an Irish boy's name meaning “fire.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.

Updated September 2026

How to say it

HUEOne syllable

Meaning: Fire
Gender: Boy
Popularity in Ireland: No. 179 for boys (2025)

How do you pronounce Hugh?

Hugh is pronounced HUE. It has one syllable.

What does Hugh mean?

Hugh is a translation of an ancient name Aodh meaning “fire.” A name with nationalistic connotations as Hugh O’Neill, Earl of Tyrone and Red Hugh O’Donnell, Earl of Tyrconnell together led a rebellion and won some major battles against the forces of the English queen Elizabeth 1st, before being defeated at the Battle of Kinsale in 1601.

How popular is Hugh in Ireland?

In 2025, 27 baby boys in Ireland were named Hugh, which made it No. 179 that year. That's down from No. 110 ten years earlier. It was most popular in 1965, when 118 baby boys were named Hugh, No. 53 that year. The records go back to 1964, when 112 baby boys were given the name.

Baby boys named Hugh each year. Source: Central Statistics Office, Irish Babies’ Names 2025 (data: table VSA50, boys' names, CC BY 4.0).

See the numbers by year

Year	Babies	Rank
2025	27	No. 179
2024	31	No. 162
2023	37	No. 146
2022	44	No. 135
2021	48	No. 131
2020	50	No. 122
2019	36	No. 161
2018	45	No. 135
2017	54	No. 117
2016	57	No. 119
2015	65	No. 110
2014	71	No. 106
2013	73	No. 98
2012	63	No. 112
2011	79	No. 99
2010	60	No. 126
2009	82	No. 92
2008	76	No. 100
2007	65	No. 111
2006	60	No. 104
2005	62	No. 99
2004	66	No. 91
2003	54	No. 102
2002	48	No. 105
2001	35	No. 127
2000	45	No. 105
1999	44	No. 105
1998	40	No. 106
1997	51	No. 97
1996	55	No. 102
1995	61	No. 89
1994	54	No. 99
1993	54	No. 102
1992	59	No. 97
1991	64	No. 91
1990	52	No. 100
1989	58	No. 91
1988	59	No. 89
1987	62	No. 94
1986	65	No. 90
1985	64	No. 90
1984	66	No. 87
1983	66	No. 90
1982	64	No. 95
1981	82	No. 83
1980	85	No. 81
1979	88	No. 84
1978	73	No. 91
1977	70	No. 95
1976	76	No. 91
1975	68	No. 94
1974	88	No. 80
1973	96	No. 81
1972	98	No. 78
1971	92	No. 78
1970	93	No. 75
1969	87	No. 73
1968	81	No. 71
1967	104	No. 56
1966	95	No. 62
1965	118	No. 53
1964	112	No. 53

Hugh 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 Hugh, letter by letter.

᚛ᚆᚒᚌᚆ᚜

HUath, hawthorn
UÚr, heather
GGort, ivy
HUath, hawthorn

Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator

Names that go with Hugh

Sister names

Aoife Mairead Etain Caoilainn Ide Siobhan

Brother names

Malachy Ferdia Peadar Odhran Eoghan Daithi

Questions about Hugh

How do you pronounce Hugh?: Hugh is pronounced HUE. One syllable.
What does Hugh mean?: Hugh means “fire.”
Is Hugh a girl's name or a boy's name?: Hugh is a boy's name.
How popular is Hugh in Ireland?: In 2025, Hugh was No. 179 for boys in Ireland, with 27 babies, according to the Central Statistics Office. It was most popular in 1965, at No. 53.