Irish Names

Brigid is the simpler Irish version of the name of the goddess of fire, which may also be spelled Brighid. Other variations include Bridget, the most usual spelling in the U.S., and the French Brigitte.
 The most famous female saint of Ireland is the fifth century Brigid, who was abbess of Kildare and is the patron saint of scholars. Because of her sanctity, her name did not come into common use in Ireland until the eighteenth century, after which it became wildly popular, eventually used as a generic name for an Irishwoman.
 According to Irish myth, there were three sister goddesses named Brigid: the goddess of poetry, the goddess of healing, and the goddess of agriculture.
 The ancient Brigid may not be exactly stylish but it's beautiful and strong, a true Irish classic.
 Nicknames include Bridie, Bidelia, Biddy, and Breda.
 In literature (and film), Brigid is the devious character in The Maltese Falcon.

Brigid

Mona had more than a moment in the sun, peaking in 1950 at Number 230 but falling off the Top 1000 completely in the late 1980s. Its similarity to the word "moaner" undercuts the appeal of its simplicity.  In one recent year, fewer than 100 baby girls received the name, and we don't see it reviving any time soon.

Mona

A short, breezy name with a sophisticated yet upbeat image, that doesn't betray its Irish roots.
Bree first came to notice here in 1971 via the complex prostitute character in the movie Klute, which earned Jane Fonda an Oscar. More recently, it was tied to the character of Bree Van de Kamp on Desperate Housewives.
 Other recent references include Stephenie Meyer's novella The Short Second Life of Bree Turner in the Twilight series. And in the popular Fancy Nancy children's book series, Bree is Nancy's bff.
 The Bree spelling is much preferable to the cheese-related Brie.

Bree

Midcentury Irish-American favorite, never used in Ireland itself, being the generic word for "girl"; rarely given today. 

Colleen

Riley is the spelling of this lively Irish name most often picked for girls, but this version is occasionally used. 

Reilly

One of several Anglicized forms of Caolán, this spelling is borrowed from the Old Irish root, cáel. 
 
With its stylish -an ending and its cool 'KAY' sound, Caelan entered the Top 500 in England and Wales in 2022, while in Ireland, it was one of the fastest rising names last year, entering not just the Top 100 for the first time, but leaping straight to the Top 50. 
 
Its popularity in the US may be compromised by its similarity in pronunciation to the trendy girls' name Kailyn in its wide variety of spellings. Caelan's Anglicized relative Colin is still much more popular on this side of the pond.
 
As a name, it derives from the Irish element cáel meaning "slender", combined with a diminuitive suffix, giving it the over all meaning "little slender one".
 
Caelan appears in Derek Landy's book series Skulduggery Pleasant and is notably borne by Irish rugby player, Caelan Doris, selected in 2023 as the Players' Player of the Year at the Rugby Players Ireland awards. This may have encouraged more parents to use the name.

Caelan

A classic Irish "top-o'-the-mornin' surname with a lot of rhythm and pizzazz. 

Callaghan

Spunky Irish surname that still has a pugnacious feel from its lingering association with one of boxing's greatest champs, Jack Dempsey. Many people may associate it more with Patrick Dempsey these days—McDreamy from TV's Grey's Anatomy.

Dempsey

The name of the longest river in the British Isles rose to the US Top 25 for girls in the 1970s and the Top 100 for boys, but has fallen off the Top 1000 for both genders. At the latest count, the name Shannon was given to about 200 babies in the US, about a third of those boys. 

As a favorite Irish name, Shannon has now been supplanted by newcomers such as Saoirse and Seanan.

Shannon

In Egyptian mythology, Amon is a major god associated with creation and the air. He was later fused with the Sun god, Ra, and became Amun-Ra.
 
In the US, Amon is occasionally used as a variation of Ammon, primarily within the Amish and Mormon communities.

Amon

A name that has many close, more familiar relatives, like Mira and Myra. 

Meara

Has the energetic-Irish-slightly-boyish image that many modern parents love. 

Brady

While the most famous Channing is the very male Channing Tatum, the name is now given about a third of the time for girls.  Television executive Channing Dungey is a well-know example of a female Channing. It makes an attractive surname-name for either gender.

Channing

It's been four decades decades since Ferris Bueller took his famous day off in the cult classic 1986 teen comedy movie, but we think the time for this name could and should be now! Especially with the recent rise of the hero's girlfriend, Sloane, up the baby name rankings. Half preppy, half rugged, it boasts that stylish S ending and has a cozy, retro feel.

 The surname Ferris can derive either from the Irish name Fergus, meaning "strong man", or from the English surname Ferrers, referring to a blacksmith or ironworker
 
Briefly appearing in the charts in the early years of the 20th-century, Ferris was only used in small numbers until the 2020s. A recent year however saw it given to 56 boys and 10 girls: the highest number on record.

Ferris

Introduced to the American public by actress Neve Campbell; it was her Dutch-born mother's maiden name. Neve is an interesting and fresh new possibility, one which Conan O'Brien chose for his daughter.
Neve Campbell pronounces her name nehv, to rhyme with Bev or Lev. If taken to represent the Italian and Portuguese word for snow, the pronunciation would change to nehv-ay. As an Anglicized form of the Irish Niamh, the correct pronunciation would be neev.
New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern chose the name Neve for her daughter, born while she was in office.

Neve

Although the Mc or Mac prefix always means "son of", the first names McKenna and MacKenna are used in the US exclusively</a> for girls, with the McKenna spelling outpacing this one 14 to 1. There are no boys recorded with either spelling of the name.

Mackenna

This cross-cultural name is a spelling variant of two different popular names: the Irish Aidan and the Hebrew Idan. While Idan is a Top 100 choice in Israel, Aidan - and Aiden - in a number of English speaking countries. Pleasingly simple and concise, Edan may however be mistaken for Eden.



Edan

Another two-syllable surname zooming up the ladder for boys, and poised to be grabbed by the girls. 

Keegan

Part Constance, part Finley, Conley is a contemporary sounding surname choice that has been used for boys since the early 20th century.  An anglicized form of the Irish name Conleth, it began to be used for girls in the late 90s, and a recent year saw it given to around 40 girls and 60 boys. 

Conley

Lochlann is a masculine name of Gaelic origin with deep roots in Irish and Scottish history. Traditionally, it referred to Scandinavia or Norway, literally meaning "land of the lochs" or "land of lakes," and was used to describe Viking invaders. Over time, it evolved into a personal name. In Irish mythology, Lochlann appears as the name of a distant northern realm. The name carries connotations of strength, adventure, and a connection to both Celtic and Norse heritage. While not extremely common, Lochlann has seen modest usage in Ireland and Scotland, appealing to parents seeking a name with authentic Gaelic roots and historical significance that connects to the rich cultural interchange between Celtic and Norse traditions.

Lochlann

 are international stars, ranking near the top of popularity lists in Ireland and the US along with many other countries.

 in the US, standing at Number 1, and Riley is the

. Many new Irish baby names are replacing old standards like Kathleen and Patrick.

 include Kennedy, Quinn, Nora, and Maeve.

 include Finn, Ryan, all spellings of Aiden, Declan, and Rowan.

 we're hearing more of include Saoirse, as in actress Ronan; Niamh; and Una. 

 itself look rather different than they do in the US, though there are also several crossovers. Notably, not all of the top Irish baby names are actually Irish: at Number 1 currently are Jack and Sophie.

s in Ireland include the classic Hebrew James and Noah along with Irish names Cillian, Tadhg, and Liam. The 

 include only two Irish-language names, Éabha and Fiadh. Other popular girl names in Ireland are Grace, Emily, and Sophie.

 and Manx names. Along with Finn and Fiadh, other Irish Gaelic choices among the 

 include Eabha, Saoirse, and Aoife for girls; Darragh, Cillian, Oisin and Tadgh for boys.

Irish baby names enjoying international popularity

 include Liam, which ranks among the top names in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden and Norway as well as Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

 in the Netherlands while variation Fynn is on Germany’s most popular list, and Nora is the second most popular girls’ name in Norway.

 go far beyond the Old School Kevins and Kathleens. If you define unique baby names as 

 on what's conventionally considered a name, then these nontraditional Irish surname names and place names may be ones you want to consider for your daughter or son.

 that work for boys and girls include Bellamy, Brady, and Callahan.

 in the US and most places outside the Emerald Isle -- though some are among the Top 100 names in Ireland -- include Aoife, Cian, Oisin, and Tadgh. Correct Irish spelling and pronunciation can be challenging for non-native speakers.

 both classic and modern, for girls and for boys, here, ordered according to their current popularity on Nameberry.

Irish names with meaning and popularity including top Irish baby names and unique Irish names for girls and boys. (Page 11)

690+ Irish Names (With Meanings and Popularity)