Irish Names

Luan is a handsome, unusual boy's name with surprisingly diverse origins. It's a rare Portuguese name meaning "moon", an Albanian name meaning "lion", a Vietnamese name meaning "justice; ethics", and a Gaelic name meaning "warrior". It may also relate to the French and Breton Elouan ("light") or the feminine Luanne ("light+grace"). 
 
A stylish, Top 20 choice in Sweden, it also ranks highly in The Netherlands and Portugal, while in the UK, it sits at the latter end of the Top 1000. Its multicultural appeal, its soft, friendly sound, and similarity to the likes of Leon, Lucian, and Luca likely contribute to its appeal.

Luan

A variant spelling of either Irish Shea or Hebrew Shai, Shay feels at once vintage and modern.

Shay

Crosby is an attractively laid-back Irish surname with retro musical associations to Bing and Crosby, Stills, and Nash, and with a jaunty air. Crosby Braverman was the name of a character on the TV show Parenthood, played by Dax Shepard.
 Crosby entered the Top 1000 list for the first time in 2011.

Crosby

A variation of Corey, this spelling has also been on a steady decline since the early-1990s. Its days are likely numbered on the US popularity charts altogether.

Cory

More authentic and original form of Ryan, but far less common of the two spellings in the US. There were about 170 baby boys named Rian in the US last year, versus over 4000 named Ryan.
In its native Ireland, though, Rian is a Top 5 boys' name.

Rian

Parents who have tired of Sean are now contemplating Seamus, the Irish form of James, which has a lot more substance and verve.
 One of the name's most famous bearers is the 1995 Nobel Prize-winning Irish poet Seamus Heaney. Seamus is also a Harry Potter name—Seamus Finnigan is a half-blood wizard friend of Harry's.
 At a time when the police force was predominantly Irish, "shamus" became a slang term for a detective.

Seamus

Historically tied to country music legend Conway Twitty, it’s now gaining traction alongside names like Connor, Colton, and Corbin. Growing in usage along with other surnames as first names, Conway stands out as a fresh, yet familiar, choice.
 
In the U.S., Conway is given to about 100 baby boys each year.

Conway

Devyn

Both offbeat and upbeat, this evocative traditional Irish name that runs through Celtic mythology is known here via award-winning novelist Cormac McCarthy (born Charles). The author's adopted name is related to Cormac Mac Airt, one of the great legendary high kings of Ireland.
 In two of the Harry Potter movies, Cormac McLaggen is a Gryffindor student.
 
A popular choice in Northern Ireland where it made the Top 100 in a recent year, it is also familiar in Ireland (where it last ranked in 2017) and England and Wales where it was given to 26 boys in a recent count. 
 Despite cool nickname Mac, it has never made it onto the US Top 1000, though it has been used by a solid 150 boys in each recent year.

Cormac

This name of three ancient saints, one Wayans brother, and an NFL wide receiver makes an energetic choice.

Keenan

This sleek, warm-hued spelling spin on Rowan was chosen by Sharon Stone for one of her three sons back in the 2000s and it has since risen in popularity in the US. While it remains a long way behind its sometimes sound-alike Rowan, it was still given to more than 140 babies in a recent year.
 
A name of multiple origins and meanings, Roan could simply be a contracted form of stylish Rowan, which is itself a name with more than one meaning. On one hand, it's a nature nature, denoting a red-berried tree, while on the other, it is an Anglicized form of the Irish Ruadhán, meaning "little redhead". In this case, it would be said with two syllables.
 
Alternatively, Roan is a Frisian name, ultimately from the Old German hraban, meaning "raven". As such, it's a familiar option in The Netherlands where it ranked in the Top 150 in a recent year. 
 
Roan could however be an English word name, used to describe an animal that has a coat comprised of two different colors interspersed together. Again, it would be pronounced with just one syllable, to rhyme with Joan or lone. 
 
Singer-songwriter Chappell Roan may well make Roan a more visible and familiar choice, meaning we may well see more little Roans in coming years.

Roan

A handsome Irish name for boys, very popular in that country, but in the US this traditional spelling might cause pronunciation problems. Still, whether Cian or Kian, it's simple and straightforward enough for the initiated. Cian is rising in the British popularity charts. 
This was the name of several legendary figures, including Cian, son of the god of medicine. His own son was Lugh, the sun god and father of the Ulster warrior Cuchulain and Cian is also the name of the son-in-law of the high king Brian Boru. So very well connected.

Cian

Gus is a homey grandpa nickname name that can work as a short form for any of the above or stand on its own as a cutting-edge replacement for Max and Jake--though it was off the Top 1000 from 1978 until 2016, when it squeaked in at Number 999.
 Gus was chosen for their sons by Dixie Chick Emily Robison and actress Julie Bowen. In T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats (and in the stage musical), the full name of Gus the Theatre Cat is Asparagus.

Though it has a Scandinavian ring (a la Thorfinn), Torin is in fact a multicultural choice, an occasional feature in the UK Top 1000, and given to around 150 boys in the US each year. Connected to nature, power, and astrology, it is a distinctive yet trendy sounding choice.
 
From its Irish origins, Torin could come from the word torran meaning "little hill", or from the name Torán meaning "little chief, lord, or champion". As a Spanish name, it's a diminutive form of the legendary Hector, and therefore Victor too. From it's French roots meanwhile, it could be an Anglicized spelling of Taurin, relating to the star sign Taurus.
 
Other possibilities include that it's a modern invention, based on Torrence or Terrence, or an Anglicized form of the German, Danish, and Norwegian pronunciations of Thor-related names, in turn, giving it the meaning "thunder".
 
The hard 'T' at the beginning prevents it from sounding as feminine as, say, Loren, though it is still given to a handful of girls each year, perhaps inspired by Tori. Torin's Passage was an early video game.

Torin

Immigrated into American pop culture in the person of 1940s superstar Tyrone Power, Jr. It has been on a steady decline since the 1970s.

Tyrone

Ciara is very popular in Ireland, more familiar here as the Anglicized Kiera or Keira. The uninitiated will tend to pronounce Ciara as the Italian Chiara, a form of Claire—kee-AHR-a or even see-AHR-a, like the American singer-songwriter Ciara. In the US, Ciara peaked in 2005, when it was the Number 150 name; it's since fallen down to Number 882.

Ciara

This Anglicized form of Bearach or short form of Finbarr was in the Top 200 in the USA for 50 years until the early 80s when it rapidly fell out of favor. Barry has not yet found popularity in the modern era - but that may well change as people rediscover their love of classic figures like musician Barry White, baseballer Barry Bonds or even Barack Obama, whose nickname as a young man was Barry. 

Barry

Not to be confused with shea butter, this name is a common surname in Ireland, combining spirit, substance, and gentleness. The traditional Irish form is Séaghdha (SHEH), though it could also be used as a short form of Séamus, connecting it to James.
 
While some sources suggest the name means "dauntless", "fine", or "good", likely from the Old Irish ségda, another possibility is that it means "hawk", from seabhac.A popular choice in Northern Ireland, Shea entered the US Top 1000 back in the '70s and remained there until 2006. While it is now more popular for girls, it is still given to 144 boys each year.
 
For baseball fans: Shea Stadium was the home of The New York Mets until 2008, and has proved surprisingly influential as a namesake. Four of the players of the New York Mets named their children Shea in honor of the place, as did Jets player John Matlock and actor Kevin James. major League player Shea Spitzbarth also got his name from the stadium.

Shea

Keeley is well-used in modern Ireland, also found as Keely and Keela.  The boys' form is Keelan.  Largely unknown in the US, this could make an interesting update for Kelly or Kaylie or Kylie. A famous bearer is actress Keeley Hawes. 

Keeley

A truly culture crossing name, Neel can be considered: a Sanskrit gemstone with a bright blue hue; an alternative, phonetic spelling of the Scottish Neil, ultimately from the cloudy Irish Niall; an Indian form of Nil, in reference to the River Nile; and a Dutch short form of Cornelius meaning "horn".
 
It would be pronounced as NEEL in most cases, though NEHL would be heard in Dutch.

Neel

 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 7)

690+ Irish Names (With Meanings and Popularity)