690+ Irish Names (With Meanings and Popularity)
Across 35 pages
of 35
Renny
Irish
"little prosperous one"
This name may be interpreted as an offbeat Anglicized form of the Gaelic Rathnait, though it could also be considered a diminutive of Renee, Renata, Lorenza, Lauren, Lorena, and similar. Influencers…
Makena
Scottish, Meru, or Hawaiian
"son of Kenneth; happy one, gift"
Makena may be one of the names with the most diverse range of possible roots. It can be a spelling variation of the Scottish surname McKenna, or a name from the East African Meru community with a…
Riona
Irish
"queenly"
We'd opt for Fiona.
Rosaleen
Irish diminutive of Rose
"rose, a flower"
The name of a sympathetic character in the best-selling novel The Secret Life of Bees , though it feels more stylish these days spelled Rosaline.
Darby
Irish, English, Norse
"free from envy; from the deer estate"
Once a common boy name in Ireland, the dynamic Darby now has a definite unisex feel. A bit like a mash up between Darcy and Ruby, it appeared in the US Top 1000 in the 90s, peaking in 1995 when it…
Rohan
Irish and Scottish; Hindi
"rowan tree, little redhead; ascension"
Rohan is an Indian (masculine) name derived from Sanskrit and meaning "ascension", however, it is one of those names with cross-cultural possibilities. It can also be a spelling variation of Rowan or…
Roan
Variation of Rowan, Irish and Scottish, Frisian, English word name
"little redhead; rowan tree; raven; animal with a coat of two interspersed colors"
Historically more popular for boys and generally less familiar than its sound-alike Rowan, Roan is a name with multiple meanings, origins, and pronunciations. Given to less than 10 girls back in…
Saoirse
Irish
"liberty"
Before the young Irish actress Saoirse Ronan made her mark in the films Ladybird and The Lovely Bones , few of us had heard this name, let alone known how to pronounce it. But now it is slowly way…
Saraid
Irish
"excellent; freedom"
An ancient and powerful name, Saraid may intrigued those who enjoy Saoirse, Mairead, Brigid, and Sara but are looking for something historical and unique. Traditionally pronounced as "SA-rid" or…
Maureen
Irish variation of Mary, Hebrew or Egyptian
"drop of the sea; bitter; beloved; love"
Almost as popular in the 1950s among the Irish in Boston as it was with those back in Bray, Maureen was once among the most prominent Irish names for girls in the US but has fallen from favor along…
Sorcha
Irish
"bright, shining"
A popular Irish name virtually unknown here, but one that feels like it could follow in the footsteps of Siobhan and Saoirse. It's pronounced SOR-ka, but with a little hiccup between the ' r ' and…
Seana
Irish Gaelic
"god is gracious"
More streamlined – and more authentic – than Shawna.
Shane
Irish variation of Sean or Shannon
As a boy's name, Shane is related more directly to the 50s movie cowboy and the Irish name Sean; for a girl, it might be a variation on Shannon, Shana, or Shawn. Parenthood star Erika Christensen…
Shannon
Irish
"old and wise"
Irish place-name -- it's a river, a town, and an airport -- once popular but now supplanted by such newer immigrants as Saoirse and Seanan.
Shevonne
American, phonetic spelling of Siobhan
Shevonne is proof that a name can be pretty and tacky at the same time.
Siobhan
Irish Gaelic
"god is gracious"
Siobhan is the Irish variation of Joan, which is derived from the ancient Anglo-Norman name Jehanne. In this way Siobhan is indirectly related to the name Sinead—the Irish form of Jeannette, which…
Mairéad
Irish variation of Margaret, Greek
"pearl"
Common in its native habitat, and worth consideration by parents in search of an authentic Irish name, though a pronunciation challenge.
Shay
Irish, Hebrew
"stately, gift"
A variant spelling of either Irish Shea or Hebrew Shai, Shay feels at once vintage and modern.
Shea
Irish
"the stately, dauntless one"
The short but solid Irish surname Shea works well for both genders thanks to its soft, succinct sound. The traditional Irish form is Séaghdha, though it could also be used as a short form of Séamus,…
Dara
Hebrew, Slavic or Irish
"pearl of wisdom; gift; or oak tree"
Though Dara was an (extremely wise) male figure in the Bible, this name feels mostly feminine to modern Americans. The Irish Gaelic version, Darragh, is well-used in contemporary times for boys.…