Irish Names

A writerly choice, Quill first entered the US stats for boys back in 2013 and for girls in 2017. It has since been used sporadically and quietly as a girl name, fitting in with choices such as Poet, Story, Sonnet, and Fable. 
 
Along with being a word name, Quill may also be considered a variation of the Irish Quillan ("lion cub") or the Latin Aquila ("eagle").

Quill

A modern Irish word name that has been appearing (albeit very quietly) in the Irish charts since the 2010s, Realta has the celestial meaning of "star". Pronounced as RAYL-tuh in some parts of Ireland and as REHL-tuh in others, it may also be spelled as Réalta.



Realta

Also written as Realta, this rare Irish name joins the glowing list of names that mean "star". Given to a small handful of girls in Ireland since the 2010s, it may be pronounced as RAYL-tuh in some parts of Ireland and REHL-tuh in others. 
 
The related name Réaltín meaning "little star" also appears in the charts in a variety of forms.

Réalta

Also appearing in the charts as Realtin, Reailtin, Réaltan, and Réiltín, this distinctive Irish name combines the word réalta with a diminutive suffix, giving it the sparkly meaning of "little star". This form was the most popular, given to 11 girls in Ireland in a recent year which did in fact place it in the Top 400.
 
It may be pronounced as RAYL-teen, REHL-teen, or sometimes REEL-teen, depending on which part of Ireland someone is from.

Réaltín

Derived from the Irish réalta meaning "star", combined with a diminutive suffix, Réiltín is a glowing, modern choice in Ireland. Given to eight girls in a recent year (which placed it in the Top 500 in Ireland), it is the second most popular form of the name, outranked only by Réaltín. 
 
Also appearing in the charts as Realtin, Reailtin, and Réaltan, it may be pronounced as RAYL-teen or REHL-teen depending on which part of Ireland someone is from.

Réiltín

Not to be confused with the Riadh, a variation of the (masculine) Arabic name Riad, Ríadh is punchy yet regal Irish name, possibly derived from rígain meaning "queen". Other sources however suggest "interest, fascinate" as meanings too.
 
Rare elsewhere, Ríadh has been catching on in Ireland in recent years, similar in sound to Fiadh, Raya, Aria, and Mia.

Ríadh

Spelled this way, Adine could be a relative of either the Irish Aideen, which means jealousy, or the Arabic Adina, meaning slender.  We'll go with the slender.

Adine

Less known internationally than Saoirse and Orla, but equally appealing, Saorla is also spelled Saorlaith or Saorfhlaith. It combines the elements soer and flaith giving it the meaning "free ruler, free princess".
 
The Saorlaith spelling ranked in the Irish Top 100 in the early 2020s.

Saorla

Saoirse meets Orla (or Orlaith), Saorla blends with elements soer and flaith giving it the meaning "free ruler, free princess". It ranked in the Irish Top 100 back in the early 2020s, but is rare elsewhere.
 
Alternative spellings include Saorla or Saorfhlaith.

Saorlaith

Seanan might be considered an Anglicized form of Seanán, itself a modern form of Senán, an Old Irish name meaning "little old one", giving it a wise and ancient feel. The name of a 6th century saint and monk, Seanan might also be considered an elaboration or a diminutive of Sean, the Irish variation of John. By combining it with the -an suffix (meaning "descendent of" or more literally "little") it could be a way to freshen up the now well-travelled Irish name. 

Seanan

A name possibly derived from Etain, an ancient Irish sun and horse goddess whose name is still used.  Adina is a related choice.

Aideen

A Top 100 choice in Ireland and Northern Ireland, Senán was the name of a famed 6th-century monk and saint, known for founding a monastery on Inis Cathaigh and, according to legend, for banishing a monster in order to do so. Combining the Old Irish sen meaning "old" with the diminutive suffix -an, the name meanings "little old one", giving it a wise yet rugged feel.
 
Also appearing as Senan, and Seanan, the name may also be considered an elaboration of Sean (the Irish form of John), however, it it shouldn't be confused with Sennen, a Cornish place name that may or may not relate to St. Senán, but is said without the SH- sound.

Senán

A rare Irish name with a whispery and poetic sound, Sílbhe might be considered a blend of the Irish elements síl meaning "seed, descendant" and bé meaning "lady", lending it the meaning "noble woman" or "woman with lineage". Alternatively, it may be used as an Irish variation of Sylvia, Cecilia, or Celia, meaning "of the woods, forest", "blind" and "heavenly" respectively, though you may mix the various meanings to get "woman of the woods" or "heavenly lady".
 
The name appears in Florence Knapp's 2025 novel, The Names.

Sílbhe

A pretty Irish name with a wonderful meaning, currently of the rise alongside Síofra. Derived from the older name Síthmaith, it comes from the elements maith meaning "good" and síd meaning either "Peace" or "fairy mound".

Síomha

This Irish name can be used as a variant of Susan, or as a form of Siobhan, itself a feminine form of John. Once rare but more recently appearing in the Top 150 in Ireland, the name pronunciation varies slightly regionally, said with one or two syllables.
 
Siún appears in a classic Irish song, Siún Ní Dhuibhir , about a man's brief encounter with a woman named Siún and the fleeting nature of love.

Siún

An alternative spelling to Sully, Sullie is a diminutive to the cool surname Sullivan, though it is considerably rarer, only ever appearing in the US stats in 1919, for girls!

Sullie

Sullivan has been on the rise in recent years, predominantly for boys, but also for a growing number of girls: more than 100 in a recent year. Short form Sully has also begun to see occasional usage, fitting in to the trend of boyish nicknames for girls, but alternative spelling Sullie may appeal to parents who want to soften the name slightly, in line with Billie and Stevie. Meaning "black-eyed one" from its Irish origins, Sullie has only ever appeared in the US charts once, back in 1919, when it was used for 6 girls. 

Vaughn meets Charlie in this rare surname-style name, which, despite its fashionable sounds, has never made it to the US charts. Capturing that ar sound of Arlo, Marlow, and Harvey, the ley of Bailey, Finley, and Westley, and the sharp V of Levi and Oliver, it has its roots in English and Irish.
 
As an English name, it likely originated as a name for someone from Verly or Vrély in the north of France, two places that take their name from the Latin virilius meaning "manly".
 
As an Irish name, it is an Anglicization of <en>Mac Bhearshúiligh or just the given name, Berach, meaning "sharp, pointed" or more figuratively, "sharp-eyed one".

Varley

Surname that could have pronunciation problems -- it's Dorrity -- as well as having an off-putting meaning. 

Doherty

This attractive and unique Scottish form of Alice can also be found in the spelling Aileas. Like Alice, it ultimately derives from the Germanic name Adalheidis. Spelt with the fada, Ailís, it's Irish and pronounced with a longer final vowel: AY-leesh.

Ailis

 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 40)

690+ Irish Names (With Meanings and Popularity)