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690+ Irish Names (With Meanings and Popularity)

  1. Colleen

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "girl"

    • Description:

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

    • Origin:

      Irish surname

    • Meaning:

      "from England"

    • Description:

      The fashion for using surnames as firsts has extended beyond the familiar Morgan and Parker to choices such as Cohen and O'Brien to -- why not? -- this quintessentially Irish name with the friendly o ending.
  3. Connelly

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "love, friendship"

    • Description:

      Connelly is a rollicking and rare example of the popular surname genre that may work even better for girls. A huge update on Colleen.
  4. Mare

    • Origin:

      Irish variation of Mary, Hebrew or Egyptian

    • Meaning:

      "drop of the sea; bitter; beloved; love"

    • Description:

      With this spelling, and one-syllable pronunciation, it sounds less like a whole name than a cut-off version of Mary. In fact, actress Mare Winningham was christened Mary.
  5. Cianan

    • Origin:

      Irish, diminutive of Cian

    • Description:

      This original spelling may present its challenges outside of Ireland, but it certainly has a more poetic look to it. Those daunted by the pronunciation obstacles may wish to consider Keenan.
  6. Aine

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "brightness, splendor"

    • Description:

      More commonly seen here as Anya, this traditional yet unique Irish name belonged to the queen of the Munster fairies and is sprinkled throughout Irish folklore as an early Celtic goddess of summer and prosperity. One of the most popular baby names in Ireland, Aine's spelling and pronunciation might seem simple but could prove confusing in the U.S.
  7. Dillon

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "loyal"

    • Description:

      Different origin from the Welsh Dylan, but increasingly used as a variant spelling to honor Bob Dylan or Dylan Thomas. Still, the Dylan spelling is found 20 times as often as Dillon.
  8. Dempsey

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "proud, haughty"

    • Description:

      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.
  9. Fianna

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "band of warriors"

    • Description:

      Fianna, a virtually unknown Irish name in the US, combines the best elements of Fiona and Brianna. In Irish and Scottish mythology, the Fianna were independent bands of warriors. It has ranked in Northern Ireland's Top 100 for girls several times over the past decade. The name also has potential political connotations: Fianna Fáil is a conservative Irish republican political party.
  10. Muireann

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "sea white, sea fair"

    • Description:

      The popular Irish name Muireann comes from a mythical mermaid who was tranformed into a woman by a saint. Pronunciation is like the surname of the actress Helen Mirren, but with the spin of a w sound after the initial M.
  11. Caledon

    • Origin:

      Irish place-name from Caledonia

    • Meaning:

      "hard or rocky land"

    • Description:

      Caledon, the name of the arrogant Billy Zane character in "Titanic," is an Irish place-name related to Caledonia, the Latin word for Scotland thought to be derived from the ancient Celtic word for "hard." Cal is a wonderful nickname, and Caledon an inventive way to get there.
  12. Kiernan

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "little dark one"

    • Description:

      Kiernan Shipka, aka Sally Draper on Mad Men, brings this Irish surname into the girls' column. And, like Kieran and Tierney and Tiernan, it's one of the perfectly unisex baby names. Only 14 girls were named Kiernan in the US in a recent year...and three times as many boys. If you want to move beyond Riley and Kennedy to one of the more unusual surname-based Irish names for girls, this may be a good choice.
  13. Gannon

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "fair-skinned, fair-haired"

    • Description:

      The name of a historic Irish leader, Gannon has a solid, yet spirited feel. It was one of the fastest-rising names of 2014, but that trend didn't continue. One pop culture influence was the name of Teen Mom 3 son Gannon Dewayne McKee.
  14. Tulla

    • Description:

      Tulla is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins, appearing in Scandinavian, German, and Irish naming traditions. In Scandinavian contexts, it may derive from the Old Norse name Þórhildr, meaning "Thor's battle." In Irish usage, it can be a diminutive of Seathrún (meaning "sea") or related to Tuile, meaning "flood." Tulla has a gentle, flowing quality with its soft consonants and open ending. Despite its long history, the name remains uncommon in English-speaking countries, giving it a distinctive quality. Tulla carries an air of quiet strength and natural simplicity. The name's brevity and melodic sound make it accessible across languages while maintaining a touch of the exotic for English speakers. In some regions, Tulla may also appear as a surname or place name.

  15. Lucan

    • Origin:

      Irish variation of Luke

    • Description:

      Lucan is a rarely heard Irish name, a Luke form with the trendy an ending.
  16. Brigid

    • Origin:

      Irish variation of Brighid

    • Meaning:

      "strength or exalted one"

    • Description:

      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.
  17. Tierney

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "descendant of a lord"

    • Description:

      Tierney is a Celtic surname with a definite Irish twinkle, a name just waiting to be discovered. Though now sometimes used for girls (in the US, not Ireland), as in jazz singer Tierney Sutton, it still has plenty of masculine punch.
  18. Aoibhe

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "life, or beauty"

    • Description:

      Aoibhe may be considered a form of either Aoife -- beauty in Irish -- or Eve, which means life. Either way, this popular Irish name for girls is pronounced as Eva though outside of Ireland few would guess that. Leave Aoibhe to the Gaelic speakers.
  19. Flannery

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "descendant of Flannghal"

    • Description:

      Flann variation that's most familiar as the name of writer Flannery O'Connor. It derives from the Irish surname Ó Flannghaile, meaning "descendant of Flannghal".
  20. Rylee

    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Riley, Irish

    • Meaning:

      "courageous"

    • Description:

      The -ee suffix is decisively feminine, so it's no surprise that male usage of this name lags behind female usage.