Muriel in Irish: Muirgheal
The Irish form of Muriel is Muirgheal, a girl's name meaning “bright as the sea.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated September 2026
- Irish form
- Muirgheal
- Meaning
- Bright as the sea
- Gender
- Girl
How do you say Muriel in Irish?
Muriel in Irish is Muirgheal, pronounced MUR-el. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first.
What does Muirgheal mean?
Muirgheal means “bright as the sea.” Muriel is one of the English forms of the name.
Read more about Muirgheal: its meaning, origin and stories
How popular is Muriel in Ireland?
Muriel wasn't in the 2025 tables, which list names given to at least three babies. It was last recorded in 1984, when 3 baby girls got the name. It was most popular in 1967, when 20 baby girls were named Muriel, No. 179 that year. The records go back to 1964, when 12 baby girls were given the name.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 3 | No. 516 |
| 1983 | 4 | No. 476 |
| 1982 | 5 | No. 425 |
| 1981 | 9 | No. 335 |
| 1980 | 6 | No. 401 |
| 1979 | 7 | No. 363 |
| 1978 | 6 | No. 388 |
| 1977 | 11 | No. 296 |
| 1976 | 4 | No. 429 |
| 1975 | 9 | No. 308 |
| 1974 | 16 | No. 249 |
| 1973 | 13 | No. 271 |
| 1972 | 13 | No. 259 |
| 1971 | 17 | No. 229 |
| 1970 | 15 | No. 223 |
| 1969 | 18 | No. 211 |
| 1968 | 13 | No. 225 |
| 1967 | 20 | No. 179 |
| 1966 | 15 | No. 203 |
| 1965 | 10 | No. 227 |
| 1964 | 12 | No. 215 |
Muirgheal 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 Muirgheal, letter by letter.
- MMuin, vine
- UÚr, heather
- IIodhadh, yew
- RRuis, elder
- GGort, ivy
- HUath, hawthorn
- EEadhadh, aspen
- AAilm, pine
- LLuis, rowan
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Muriel
Questions about Muriel
- What is Muriel in Irish?
- The Irish form of Muriel is Muirgheal, pronounced MUR-el. Muirgheal means “bright as the sea.”
- How do you pronounce Muirgheal?
- Muirgheal is pronounced MUR-el. Two syllables, stress on the first.
- Is Muriel a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Muriel is a girl's name.