Top 100 Irish Baby Names

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.

From an old Irish word meaning “white,” the 6th century St. Ailbe was associated with the monastery at Emly in County Tipperary.

Ancient Irish name from ail “noble.”

Alby in Irish is Ailbe, pronounced ALL-bay, meaning “white.”

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

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.”

Meaning “noble, virtuous.” The feminine of Brian.

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.

In Irish cara simply means a “friend.”

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

An Irish form of Catherine that derives from an older Greek name meaning “clear, pure.” (See also Caitlin.)

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.”

Cloda in Irish is Clodagh, pronounced CLO-da.

From the Irish cailin meaning “girl” and used by the Irish in the USA and Australia as a way of connecting to their Irish roots.

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.

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

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

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

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

From fionn meaning “fair, white, beautiful” it is the feminine form of Fionn. Of Scottish origin it is quite a popular name in Ireland.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Margaret in Irish is Mairead, pronounced mawr-AID.

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

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

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.”

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.

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

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

Sheela in Irish is Sile, pronounced SHE-la.

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

The Irish form of the Welsh name Tegwin which means “beautiful.”

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.

Aidan in Irish is Aedan, pronounced AID-an, meaning “born of fire.”

Aiden in Irish is Aedan, pronounced AID-an, meaning “born of fire.”

Alby in Irish is Ailbe, pronounced ALL-bay, meaning “white.”

From rua “red” and would make an appropriate name for a red-headed child.

From ardanach meaning “high aspiration.” Ardan was one of the sons of Usna who helped Deirdre escape to Scotland so that she would not be forced to marry King Conchobhar MacNessa.

Barry in Irish is Finbar, meaning “fair-haired.”

Braden in Irish is Bradan, pronounced BRAY-dawn, meaning “salmon.”

Brandan in Irish is Breandan, pronounced BREN-dawn.

There are at least seventeen saints who bear the name but St. Breandan the Navigator is probably the best known.

From brigh “high, noble, strong.”

From cliareach “minstrel, scholar.” A surname now used as a given name.

Colin in Irish is Coilin, pronounced KOH-lin, meaning “little chieftain.”

A Gaelic form of the Latin columba meaning “dove.” St. Columba of Iona or Colmcille colm + cille or “dove of the church” was a prince of the O’Neill clan, a great poet and scholar.

Means friendship or could be from con “a hound,” as applied to a swift-footed warrior, and all “great, mighty.”

Connor in Irish is Conchobhar, pronounced CON-r, meaning “lover of hounds.”

Conor in Irish is Conchobhar, pronounced CON-r, meaning “lover of hounds.”

Craig in Irish is Carrick, meaning “rock.”

From dalach meaning “frequenter of gatherings” and refers, therefore to a “counsellor.” The Irish Parliament is known as the Dail (pron. “doyle”), which means “a gathering.”

Daniel in Irish is Donal, meaning “ruler of the world.”

Dara in Irish is Daire, pronounced DI-re, meaning “fruitful, fertile.”

Daragh in Irish is Daire, pronounced DI-re, meaning “fruitful, fertile.”

From the surname O’Dorchaidhe “descendant of the dark one.”

David in Irish is Daithi, pronounced DAH-hee, meaning “swiftness, nimbleness.”

Declan in Irish is Deaglan, pronounced DECK-lan, meaning “full of goodness.”

Dermot in Irish is Diarmuid, pronounced DEER-mid, meaning “without enemy.”

From dealan “a flash of lightning” or it may come from an Irish word for “faithful, loyal.” A common surname it is the Irish form of the Welsh name “Dylan.”

Donagh in Irish is Donncha, pronounced DONE-acka, meaning “brown-haired warrior.”

From domhan “world” and all “mighty” implying “ruler of the world.”

Donald in Irish is Donal, meaning “ruler of the world.”

Dylan in Irish is Dillon, meaning “a flash of lightning.”

Is the Irish form of Old English ead “rich” + mund “guardian”, and implies “guardian of the riches.”

Edmond in Irish is Eamon, pronounced AIM-an, meaning “guardian of the riches.”

The name is given to boys as a mark of respect to the great Irish orator and patriot Robert Emmet who was a leader of the unsuccessful 1798 rebellion against the British.

Derived from fear “man” and gus “strength” and signifies “a strong warrior, virile.”

Means “fair-headed.” Fionn Mac Cool, a central character in Irish folklore and mythology lead the warrior band, the Fianna.

Frank in Irish is Proinsias, pronounced PRON-she-iss, meaning “little Frenchman.”

Garret in Irish is Gearoid, pronounced GAR-roid, meaning “brave with a spear.”

Means “gentle child” or “well born.” St. Kevin founded a great monastery at Glendalough in County Wicklow in the seventh century.

Killian in Irish is Cillian, pronounced KIL-e-an, meaning “associated with the church.”

The Irish form of William, originally a German name will + helm “desire + helmet” and suggests “strong protector.” It is currently a very fashionable name in Ireland and across the world.

The Vikings plundered Ireland in the 9th and 10th centuries and the native home of the Norwegian invaders was known as Lochlan “land of the lochs.”

Neal in Irish is Niall, pronounced NYE-al, meaning “passionate, vehement.”

Neil in Irish is Niall, pronounced NYE-al, meaning “passionate, vehement.”

The name could come from “passionate, vehement” or from nel “a cloud.”

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

The son of the legendary warrior Fionn Mac Cool and the goddess Sive. His mother was turned into a deer by the Dark Druid and she reared him in the forest until he was seven years old.

Owen in Irish is Eoghan, pronounced O-in, meaning “born of the yew tree.”

Phelim in Irish is Feidhelm, pronounced FAIL-im, meaning “ever good.”

The Irish version of James. Many well-known Irishmen have been called Seamus including the 1995 Nobel poet laureate Seamus Heaney.

Irish form of John meaning “God’s gracious gift.”

Terry in Irish is Turlough, pronounced TUR-la, meaning “one who aids.”

Thomas in Irish is Tomas, pronounced toh-MOSS, meaning “twin.”

Means, simply, “an Ulsterman.” There have been eighteen saints named Ultan, the best-known being St. Ultan of Ardbraccan, (c. 650 AD).

William in Irish is Liam, meaning “strong protector.”