Irish Girl Names

Aednat, spelled Áednat in early medieval Irish and Aodhnait later, is a feminine diminutive of Áed (modern Aodh), an old name meaning “fire.”

Aibhlinn is a spelling of Aibhilín, the Irish form of the Norman name Aveline, which in English became Evelyn and Eveleen.

Aibreann comes from the Irish for April. The month is spelled Aibreán in standard Irish, while Aibreann and Aibrean are the spellings used for the name.

Formed like Aidan from aed “fire.” Aideen loved her husband Oscar, a grandson of Fionn Mac Cool, so much that when he fell in battle she died of a broken heart.

Ailbhe comes from the Old Irish name Ailbe, whose origin is uncertain. It may come from a Celtic root meaning “white” or “bright.”

Aileen is a variant of Eileen and an English form of the Irish Eibhlín, also spelled Aibhilín. It is not, as sometimes claimed, an ancient Gaelic name from a word meaning “noble.”

Ailis, or Ailís with a fada, is the Irish form of Alice, a name the Anglo-Normans brought to Ireland.

Ancient Irish name from the noun aine that means “splendor, radiance, brilliance.” Aine is connected with fruitfulness and prosperity.

Adding a to leanbh, the word for “child” in Irish, brings a sense of warmth – “O child” or “darling child.” A favored name in Ireland with all three spellings.

Anna in Irish is Aine, pronounced AWN-ye, meaning “splendor, radiance, brilliance.”

Anya in Irish is Aine, pronounced AWN-ye, meaning “splendor, radiance, brilliance.”

Aoibheann comes from the Old Irish Aíbinn or Oébfinn, from oíb “beauty, form” and finn “white, fair,” so “fair form” or “radiant beauty.”

Aoibhín is a pet form of Aoibhe, made with the Irish diminutive ending -ín, “little.”

Meaning “beautiful, radiant, joyful.” Known as the greatest woman warrior in the world, Aoife was the mother of Cuchulainn’s only son, Connlach.

From aislinge which means “a vision” or “a dream,” Aisling is the name given to a popular poetic genre from the 17th and 18th centuries in which Ireland is personified as a beautiful woman in peril.

Ava in Irish is Aoife, pronounced EE-fa, meaning “beautiful, radiant, joyful.”

Barbara in Irish is Gormlaith, pronounced GORM-lee, meaning “splendid princess.”

A blend of bean “woman, lady” and finn “fair, white” originally described Viking women. Brian Boru’s mother was called Beibhinn and he named his daughter for her.

Bevan in Irish is Beibhinn, pronounced BE-veen, meaning “fair lady.”

Bevin in Irish is Beibhinn, pronounced BE-veen, meaning “fair lady.”

Bláithín means “little flower,” from the Irish bláth, “flower,” with the diminutive ending -ín.

Blath means “flower, blossom.” In legend, Blaithnaid, the reluctant wife of Curai Mac Daire, loved Cuchulainn, her husband’s rival.

Branna is a modern feminine name formed from Bran, an old Irish name meaning “raven.” It is not a traditional Irish name in its own right.

Briana is a feminine form of Brian, the name of Brian Boru, the high king who was killed at the Battle of Clontarf in 1014. The meaning of Brian is uncertain.

The name Brigid from brigh meaning “power, vigour, virtue” epitomizes the Irish genius for layering old and new.

The name Brigid from brigh meaning “power, vigour, virtue” epitomizes the Irish genius for layering old and new.

Brona in Irish is Bronagh, pronounced BRO-nah, meaning “sorrowful.”

Though rooted in bronach “sad, sorrowful” St. Bronagh must have been a popular figure in her home area of County Down where her bell is venerated because so many girls in that area are named for her now as they have been for over 1000 years.

Cadhla comes from a literary Irish word meaning “beautiful,” also glossed as “comely” or “graceful.”

From the Gaelic cara + the diminutive -in meaning “little friend or little beloved.”

Devotion to St. Catherine came to Ireland with Christianity.

From caol “slender” and fionn “white, fair, pure.”

From caomh “gentle, beautiful, precious.” The same root as Kevin, the name has become very popular in Ireland with the original Irish spelling.

Cara comes from the Irish word cara, “friend.”

From cas “curly-haired.” The Cassidys were the hereditary physicians to the Maguires, the chiefs of County Fermanagh between 1300 and 1600.

Catherine in Irish is Caitlin, pronounced KOIT-leen, meaning “pure, clear.”

Catriona is a spelling of the Irish Caitríona and the Scottish Gaelic Catrìona, the Gaelic forms of Catherine.

Chevonne in Irish is Siobhan, pronounced shiv-AWN, meaning “God is gracious.”

The feminine form of Ciaran, from the Irish ciar meaning “dark” and implies “dark hair and brown eyes.”

A medieval name derived from Latin clarus “clear, bright, famous.”

From clodhna meaning “shapely.” Cliodhna had three magical birds that could sing the sick to sleep and cure them.

Cloda in Irish is Clodagh, pronounced CLO-da.

The river Clody runs through County Tipperary and County Wexford and like most Irish rivers is named for a local female deity.

Colleen comes from the Irish word cailín, “girl” or “young unmarried woman,” a diminutive of caile, “woman, countrywoman.” In Irish, cailín is grammatically a masculine noun.

Croía comes from croí, the Irish word for “heart.” It is a new name rather than an old one.

Daimhín is an old Irish name, a diminutive of damh, which in Old Irish meant “ox” or “stag.” The usual gloss “little deer” is close, but “little stag” is more exact.

Meaning “fruitful, bountiful.” In legend, Daireann, a beautiful young woman, fell in love with Fionn Mac Cool, a man with many wives.

Darcy has two separate roots. In Ireland it is often an anglicized form of the surname Ó Dorchaidhe, “descendant of Dorchaidhe,” a personal name meaning “dark man,” from dorcha “dark.”

Darina in Irish is Daireann, pronounced DAR-rawn, meaning “fruitful, bountiful.”

Davina in Irish is Daimhin, pronounced DAW-veen, meaning “little stag.”

Dearbháil comes from the Old Irish Derbáil, usually explained as der “daughter” and Fál, an ancient poetic name for Ireland, so “daughter of Fál” or “daughter of Ireland.”

Dechtire was the sister of Conchubar and the mother of Cuchulainn. deich means ten and perhaps she was the tenth child.

The most beautiful woman in ancient Ireland, she was betrothed to the High King Conchobhar Mac Nessa but she fell in love with his nephew Naoise.

Dervla in Irish is Dearbhail, pronounced DARE-voll, meaning “daughter of Fal.”

Éabha is the Irish form of Eve, the name of the first woman in the Bible. It comes from the Hebrew Chawwah, which is traditionally linked with a word meaning “to live.”

From each meaning “steed, horse.” The daughter of a king of the Irish province of Connacht, she was renowned for both her beauty and her fashion sense.

Éala is inspired by eala, the Irish word for “swan.”

Ealga comes from the Irish ealga, an old literary word meaning “noble.” It is best known from Inis Ealga, “noble island,” one of the poetic names for Ireland.

Eavan in Irish is Aoibheann, pronounced EVE-een, meaning “radiant beauty.”

From aoibheann “pleasant, beautiful, radiant.”

Eileen in Irish is Eibhleann, pronounced AVE-linn, meaning “pleasant, beautiful, radiant.”

Eimear possessed the “Six Gifts of Womanhood” – “beauty, a gentle voice, sweet words, wisdom, needlework and chastity!”

Éinín means “little bird” in Irish, from éan “bird” and the diminutive ending -ín, the same ending that turns Róis (Rose) into Róisín. Einin is the same name written without the fada.

Eithne means “kernel of a nut or seed” but it may also be related to Aidan meaning “little fire.” There are at least nine St. Eithnes.

Elaine in Irish is Eibhleann, pronounced AVE-linn, meaning “pleasant, beautiful, radiant.”

Elizabeth in Irish is Sibeal, pronounced SHIB-ale, meaning “God is my oath.”

Ena in Irish is Aednat, pronounced EY-nit, meaning “little fire.”

Enat in Irish is Aednat, pronounced EY-nit, meaning “little fire.”

Enya in Irish is Eithne, pronounced EN-ya, meaning “kernel, seed.”

From et meaning “jealousy.” Etain surpassed all other women of her time in beauty and gentleness and thus was an object of jealousy herself.

Eva in Irish is Aoife, pronounced EE-fa, meaning “beautiful, radiant, joyful.”

Eveleen in Irish is Aibhlinn, pronounced AVE-leen.

Eveline in Irish is Aibhlinn, pronounced AVE-leen.

Evelyn in Irish is Aibhlinn, pronounced AVE-leen.

Fiadh is the older spelling of the Irish word fia, meaning “deer” or “wild.”

Fionn Mac Cool’s warrior band were known as the Fianna.

Meaning “beauty” or “constant.” The name goes back to ancient times and has been held by six saints.

Finola in Irish is Fionnoula, pronounced finn-ULA, meaning “fair-shouldered.”

Fiona is a Scottish creation rather than an old Irish name.

The name comes from fionn + ghuala “fair shouldered.” The chieftain King Lir and his wife Aobh had a daughter Fionnoula and three sons Aedh, Conn and Fiachra.

Often refers to a person who is a native Irish speaker or a person who is from Ireland. Medieval legend holds that Gael was the name of the hero from whom the Irish race took its name.

Anglicized as Barbara. May come from gorm “illustrious” or “splendid” and flaith “queen, princess.”

From gran “grain, corn.” Grainne in ancient Ireland was the patron of the harvest.

Described as “one of the most remarkable women in Irish history” Granuaile or Grainne Ni Mhaille (ang. as Grace O’Malley) was a renowned sea captain who led a band of 200 sea-raiders from the coast of Galway in the sixteenth century.

Hannah in Irish is Aine, pronounced AWN-ye, meaning “splendor, radiance, brilliance.”

Meaning “thirst” as in “thirst for goodness or knowledge.” St. Ide and St. Brigid are considered the most influential woman saints of early Irish Christianity.

Iona is the name of a small island off the Isle of Mull, on the west coast of Scotland, where the Irish saint Colm Cille (Columba) founded his monastery around 563 AD.

Ita in Irish is Ide, pronounced EE-da, meaning “thirst for goodness.”

Jane in Irish is Sinead, pronounced shin-AID, meaning “God is gracious.”

Janet in Irish is Sinead, pronounced shin-AID, meaning “God is gracious.”

Janette in Irish is Sinead, pronounced shin-AID, meaning “God is gracious.”

Kaitlin in Irish is Caitlin, pronounced KOIT-leen, meaning “pure, clear.”

Kalin in Irish is Caoilainn, pronounced KAY-linn, meaning “slender and fair.”

Karan in Irish is Caireann, pronounced CARE-in, meaning “little beloved.”

Karen in Irish is Caireann, pronounced CARE-in, meaning “little beloved.”

Kathleen in Irish is Caitlin, pronounced KOIT-leen, meaning “pure, clear.”

Keela is a modern spelling usually linked with the Irish Cadhla, from the old adjective cadhla, “beautiful.”

Keelin in Irish is Caoilainn, pronounced KAY-linn, meaning “slender and fair.”

Keera in Irish is Ciara, pronounced KEE-ra, meaning “dark.”

Keeva in Irish is Caoimhe, pronounced KEE-va, meaning “gentle, beautiful, precious.”

Keira in Irish is Ciara, pronounced KEE-ra, meaning “dark.”

Ciar means “dark” and probably implies “dark hair and brown eyes.”

Keva in Irish is Caoimhe, pronounced KEE-va, meaning “gentle, beautiful, precious.”

Kira in Irish is Ciara, pronounced KEE-ra, meaning “dark.”

Kyna is traced to the Irish word cion, which means “love, affection” and also “regard, esteem.”

Laoise is an Irish girl’s name of uncertain origin.

From an old Irish name Madb, “the cause of great joy” or “she who intoxicates.”

Maeve in Irish is Maebh, pronounced MAYV, meaning “the cause of great joy.”

The name that was used in Ireland for Our Lady was Muire and interestingly, her name was so honored that it was rarely used as a first name until the end of the fifteenth century.

Mairéad is the Irish form of Margaret, from the Latin Margarita and the Greek margarites, “pearl.”

Maolisa is a simplified spelling of the Irish Maolíosa (Old Irish Máel Ísu), from maol “devotee, servant” and Íosa “Jesus,” so “servant of Jesus” or “devotee of Jesus.”

Margaret in Irish is Mairead, pronounced mawr-AID, meaning “pearl.”

Mary in Irish is Maire, pronounced MY-ra.

Meara is usually explained through the Irish mara, the form of muir, “sea,” that means “of the sea” (it is also the plural, “seas”).

Melissa in Irish is Maolisa, pronounced mail-ISSA, meaning “follower of Jesus.”

Meryl in Irish is Muirgheal, pronounced MUR-el, meaning “bright as the sea.”

Miren in Irish is Muireann, pronounced MUR-in, meaning “sea white, sea fair.”

Moirin in Irish is Muireann, pronounced MUR-in, meaning “sea white, sea fair.”

Muadhnat “little noble one” is one possible source of the name. The Normans brought Monique, “giver of advice,” or it could refer to Madonna, “lady” as in the Mona Lisa.

Morna in Irish is Muirne, pronounced MIR-ne, meaning “high-spirited, festive.”

Means “sea white, sea fair.” The very appropriate name of the 6th century mermaid caught by a fisherman in Lough Neagh.

Muirgheal comes from the Old Irish Muirgel, from muir “sea” and geal “bright,” so “sea-bright” or, as Patrick Woulfe put it in 1923, “fair one of the sea.”

Muirne means “high-spirited, festive.” Muirne loved Conall who was from an opposing tribe.

Muriel in Irish is Muirgheal, pronounced MUR-el, meaning “bright as the sea.”

Myrna in Irish is Muirne, pronounced MIR-ne, meaning “high-spirited, festive.”

Naoise is a name from Irish legend, and its meaning is unknown.

Neala is a modern feminine form of Niall, based on its English spelling Neal. It is not a traditional Irish name and does not appear in Patrick Woulfe’s 1923 list of Irish women’s names.

Neave in Irish is Niamh, pronounced NEE-iv, meaning “radiance, lustre, brightness.”

Nessa was the mother of Conchobhar (Conor) Mac Nessa, king of Ulster.

From niamh “radiance, lustre, brightness.” The daughter of the sea god Manannan she was known as “Niamh of the Golden Hair,” a beautiful princess riding on a white horse.

Niav in Irish is Niamh, pronounced NEE-iv, meaning “radiance, lustre, brightness.”

Noelle in Irish is Nollaig, pronounced NULL-ig, meaning “Christmas.”

Nola is often explained as a short form of Fionnuala, the old Irish name from fionn “fair, white” and guala “shoulder,” so “fair shoulder.”

Nollaig is the Irish word for Christmas. It comes from the Old Irish Notlaic, borrowed from the Latin nātālīcia, “birthday celebration,” from nātālis, “of birth.”

A classic Irish name, it could be a shortened form of Eleanor meaning “torch” or could be from the Latin Honora meaning “honor, reputation” and became so popular in Ireland in the Middle Ages that many people assumed it was Irish.

It is really a shortened version of Fionnuala and in Ireland it is more widely used than Fionnuala.

From the Irish word uan “a lamb” or may come from the Latin una meaning “one,” hence it is sometimes translated as “Unity.”

Orla in Irish is Orlaith, pronounced OR-la, meaning “golden princess.”

Orlaith comes from the Irish Órlaith (older Órfhlaith), from ór “gold” and flaith “ruler, prince,” which is read as “princess” in women’s names, so “golden princess.”

Radha comes from the Irish word radharc, “sight, vision, view.”

Comes from ri “sovereign, king” and the diminutive -in and means “the king’s child” or may come from riogach “impulsive, furious.” Regan may be used for a boy or a girl.

Ríadh is one of the newest Irish girls’ names, and dictionaries and name references give no settled meaning for it. It shares its ending and sound pattern with Fiadh.

Riona in Irish is Rionach, pronounced REE-in-ock, meaning “queenly.”

From rionach meaning “queenly.” In legend Rionach was the wife of “Niall of the Nine Hostages” and as such is the maternal ancestor of many of the great Irish family dynasties.

Róise is an Irish form of Rose, and it has long been linked with rós, the Irish word for the flower.

From the Latin name Rosa and means “little rose.” Records show that the name has been in use in Ireland since the sixteenth century.

Rosaleen in Irish is Roisin, pronounced ro-SHEEN, meaning “little rose.”

Ryanne is a modern feminine form of Ryan, created in English rather than in Irish. Ryan comes from the Irish surname Ó Riain, “descendant of Rian.”

Sadhbh comes from the Old Irish Sadb, probably from an old Celtic root meaning “sweet.” It was a common name in medieval Ireland.

Irish word saoirse “freedom, liberty.” It has only been used since the 1920s and has strong patriotic overtones.

Shauna is a feminine form of Shaun, one of the English spellings of the Irish Seán.

Shavon in Irish is Siobhan, pronounced shiv-AWN, meaning “God is gracious.”

Sheela in Irish is Sile, pronounced SHE-la.

Sheena in Irish is Sheenagh, pronounced SHE-na.

Sheenagh is a spelling of Sheena, the anglicized form of the Gaelic Síne (Irish) or Sìne (Scottish Gaelic), both forms of Jane.

Sheila in Irish is Sile, pronounced SHE-la.

Shevaun in Irish is Siobhan, pronounced shiv-AWN, meaning “God is gracious.”

Sibéal is a shortened form of Isibéal, the Irish form of Isabel.

Síle is the Irish form of Cecilia, which comes from the Roman family name Caecilius, from the Latin caecus, “blind.”

Sinéad is the Irish form of the French Jeannette, a diminutive of Jeanne, and serves as the Irish equivalent of Jane and Janet.

Siobhan is another Irish form of Joan meaning “God is gracious.” A popular name in Ireland where the anglicised versions are often used.

Síofra comes from the Irish word síofra, meaning “elf” or “sprite.”

Síomha is the modern form of Síthmaith, an Old Irish name made from síth and maith, “good.”

From sorcha meaning “bright, radiant, light.”

Sybil in Irish is Sibeal, pronounced SHIB-ale, meaning “God is my oath.”

Teagan is a spelling of the Welsh name Tegan, which means “darling” and comes from the Welsh teg, “beautiful, pretty.”

Has been used mainly in Northern Ireland as a female form of Ultach “an Ulsterman.” There have been eighteen saints named Ultan.

All these variations refer to the famous Irish woman betrothed to King Mark of Cornwall who fell in love with his nephew Tristan when they drank a love potion by mistake.