Irish baby names have become international stars, ranking near the top of popularity lists in Ireland and the US along with many other countries.
 
Liam is the top Irish name in the US, ranking Number 1 for boys. Along with Liam, Irish names in the US Top 100 for boys include Aiden, Ryan, Connor, and Brayden. 
 
For girls, Riley is the top-ranked Irish baby name in the US. Along with Riley, Irish names in the US Top 100 for girls include Nora, Kennedy, Quinn, and Reagan.
 
Irish 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. Finn ranks among the top names in the Netherlands while variation Fynn is on Germany’s most popular list, and Nora is the second most popular girls’ name in Norway.
 
The <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular_names/Ireland">top baby names in Ireland</a> include the Irish names Aoife, Saoirse, Oisin, and Cillian.
 
Irish names have emigrated from their native land in waves, with old-school Irish names such as Bridget and Patrick giving way to the mid-century Irish favorites Kathleen and Kevin, Shannon and Sean. 
 
Browse our full menu of Irish baby names both classic and modern, including <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/804/irish-names-for-girls">Irish names for girls</a> and <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/510/irish-names-for-boys">Irish boys' names</a>, here. The top names below rank among the current US Top 1000 Baby Names and are ordered by popularity. Unique names rank below the Top 1000 and are listed alphabetically.

Irish Names

This name of eighteen Irish saints of the past is relatively popular in Ireland, though little known outside it.

Ultan

Yeats, the strong name of the great Irish poet, would work better for a boy.  Also has possible pronunciation problem with people who might think it rhymes with Keats.  Yeats rhymes with the word from which it's derived: gates.

Yeats

If you love the venerable Southwestern painter but feel Georgia's gotten too overheated, you might want to go all the way to this Irish surname in the fashionable O' family.

O'keeffe

Connolly, an alternate spelling of Connelly, could make a livelier and less common substitute for Connor.

Connolly

Although Maguire is such a prominent Irish surname &mdash;it ranks in the Top 40 in the Emerald Isle &mdash;this lively and cheerful family name has rarely been used as a first, unlike more familiar examples like Ryan, Riley and Reagan.  The powerful and distinguished Maguire clan was known for their courage, leadership and resilience.  The name's many notable associations include the unionizing Pennsylvania coal miners known as the Molly Maguires, actor Tobey Maguire and Dixie Chick Martie Maguire. Other spellings are McGuire and McGwire; two other handsome Irish surnames to consider are Malone and Magee.


Maguire

The use of O-prefixes could create the next wave of Irish-inflected names, offering an innovative way of honoring a relative with the old-fashioned moniker Brian. On Downton Abbey, the surname O'Brien was heard so often, it began to seem like a first.

O'brien

The O'Haras are descended from Eaghra -- pronounced and phonetically spelled Ara -- the lord of Luighne, the modern Leyney in County Sligo. As a name, this makes a satisfying new twist on Harry, and may remind people of the poet Frank O'Hara or the movie and novel, Gone with the Wind.

O'hara

McCabe is an Irish patronymic surname that originated with Scottish mercenaries in Ireland who wore distinctive hats -- or cabas, which is also the name for capes.

Mccabe

Gary Sinise chose this Mc name for his late son McCanna, called Mac, in 1990, before Irish and Scottish surnames beginning with Mc or Mac became common as first names. Mac Sinise passed away from a rare form of cancer at the age of 33.


Mccanna

Irish surname that refers to High King Brian Boru, also spelled O'Brien.  Makes a fabulous first name.

O'brian

One of the most usable of the fashionable O'Names.

O'callahan

Perfect name for the child of dog enthusiasts, and much more distinctive than the trendy Connor.

O'connor

Forget Donald.  Honor Grandpa Don with this new spin.

O'donnell

Donovan is on the rise, so why not this sequel?

O'donovan

Fallon has gone feminine, but this puts it back in the boys' camp.

O'fallon

Like the other O' names, this is a wonderful way to pass down a family name.

O'grady

Most parents interested in this name would be honoring either an ancestor or painter Georgia O'Keeffe.

O'keefe

Sullivan has made itself into a first name and O'Sullivan may well follow suit.

O'sullivan

Popular in Ireland, though not as popular as its spelling variant Eimear, Emer is a mythological name, associated with the legendary wife of the warrior hero Cuchulainn. She was said to possess the six gifts of womanhood: beauty, voice, speech, wisdom, chastity, and needlework.
 
While the exact meaning of Emer is unknown, one theory is that it means "swift" or "quick". 
 
Pronounced as EE-mer, this form of the name was most popular in 1983, when nearly 200 girls received the name, placing it in the Top 50. A more recent year saw it given to less that 2 girls, however.
 
Other forms of the name include Eimer and Éimhear (said as EH-ver), along with the Scottish variant Eimhir (pronounced AY-veer).

Emer

Ethne is one of the many Irish Gaelic names whose spelling and pronunciation -- it's en-ya -- will prove endlessly confusing to English speakers.

Ethne

 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 33)

690+ Irish Names (With Meanings and Popularity)