Irish Girl Names Starting with N

Naoise is a name from Irish legend, and its meaning is unknown. In the Ulster Cycle tale Longes mac nUislenn, “The Exile of the Sons of Uisneach,” Naoise is a young warrior at the court of Conchobar mac Nessa, king of Ulster, famed with his brothers Ardan and Ainnle for their singing and their speed in the hunt.

No. 118 for girls in Ireland in 2025, with 39 baby girls.

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. Its meaning comes from Niall, whose origin is disputed: it may come from the Old Irish nia “champion, hero,” from an old Celtic root meaning “passion,” or from nél “cloud.”

No. 443 for girls in Ireland in 2025, with 8 baby girls.

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

Rare in Ireland: fewer than three baby girls a year get the name.

Nessa is an Irish girl's name from legend: the mother of Conor Mac Nessa, king of Ulster.

No. 239 for girls in Ireland in 2025, with 18 baby girls.

Niamh means “radiance, lustre, brightness.”

No. 90 for girls in Ireland in 2025, with 54 baby girls.

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

Rare in Ireland: fewer than three baby girls a year get the name.

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

No. 608 for girls in Ireland in 2025, with 5 baby girls.

Nola is often explained as a short form of Fionnuala, the old Irish name from fionn “fair, white” and guala “shoulder,” so “fair shoulder.” Fionnuala has several shortened and anglicized forms, including Nuala, Finola and Fenella. In Irish legend Fionnuala was the daughter of Lir who, with her three brothers, was turned into a swan for 900 years.

Not in Ireland's 2025 tables (fewer than three babies); last recorded in 2022.

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.” As a first name it is a 20th-century creation, an Irish translation of the French Noël, and like Noel it has traditionally been given to children born at Christmas.

Not in Ireland's 2025 tables (fewer than three babies); last recorded in 2024.

Nora means “honour, reputation.”

No. 76 for girls in Ireland in 2025, with 65 baby girls.

Nuala means “fair-shouldered.”

Not in Ireland's 2025 tables (fewer than three babies); last recorded in 2024.