Irish Gaelic Names for Girls

Aoife

Irish Gaelic

"beautiful, radiant"

Aoife, pronounced EE-fa, is derived from the Irish word aoibh , meaning "beauty." Aoife was borne by several different heroines of ancient Irish legend. In one tale, she was the fiercest woman…

Roisin

Irish

"little rose"

No, the pronunciation--ro-SHEEN--isn't immediately obvious to the non-Gaelic viewer, but the sound of this shiny Irish version of Rose is pretty enough to make it worth considering. Very popular in…

Niamh

Irish Gaelic

"bright"

Niamh, derived from the Old Irish Niam, is an ancient Irish name that was originally a term for a goddess. In Irish myth, one who bore it was Niamh of the Golden Hair, daughter of the sea god, who…

Caoimhe

Irish, Scottish

"beautiful"

Caoimhe, pronounced (more properly) kwee-va or kee-va, is a pretty and distinctive Gaelic name but one that could well lead to no end of confusion outside the Irish community. Even in its native…

Sina

Samoan, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish

"gray or white haired; god is gracious; new victory"

Short, sweet, and perhaps misleadingly simple, Sina is in fact a multicultural choice with a wide range of origins. In Samoan mythology, Sina is used for a number of figures, and notably appears in…

Sinead

Irish form of Janet

"God is gracious"

One of the best known of the Irish girls' names , thanks to singer Sinead O'Connor. Though it's still in the Irish Top 100, it's no longer quite as fashionable in Ireland as Aoife or Aisling. But by…

Fionnuala

Irish Gaelic

"white shoulders"

This lovely Gaelic name, very popular in the Emerald Isle, has inspired a whole host of diminutives (including Nuala and Nola) and variant spellings, from Finola to Finula to the Scottish and English…

Orlaith

Irish

"golden princess"

In early, pre-Norman Ireland, this name was borne by both a sister and a niece of high king Brian Boru. Now, the English form Orla is more commonly used.

Baibín

Baibín is a traditional Irish feminine name with Gaelic origins. It's the diminutive form of Báb or Bába, affectionately meaning 'little baby' or 'little darling.' Pronounced approximately as…

Séarlait

Séarlait is a feminine Irish Gaelic name, functioning as the Irish equivalent of Charlotte or Scarlett. The name ultimately derives from Germanic origins meaning 'free man' or 'strong,' coming…

Áine

Irish

"brilliance, wit"

Similar in sound to Anya and Enya, Áine is a mythical Irish choice, associated with the goddess of summer, wealth, beauty, love, and fertility. It is a familiar choice in Ireland and Northern…

Criostal

Criostal is a feminine name with Irish Gaelic origins, derived from the word 'criostail' meaning 'crystal' or 'clear as crystal.' This elegant name reflects qualities of clarity, purity, and beauty.…

Darach

Darach, though listed as feminine here, is traditionally a masculine Scottish and Irish Gaelic name meaning 'oak tree' or 'from the oak.' It derives from the Gaelic word 'darach' referring to oak…

Eimear

Irish Gaelic

"swift"

Popular in Ireland but less familiar elsewhere, Eimear is a mythological choice, which some may see as a fresh alternative to Emma. In Irish legend, Eimear was the wife of the warrior hero…

Síle

Irish Gaelic

"blind"

The Irish Gaelic form of Cecilia, which is the origin of the Anglicized version Sheila, which subsequently became very popular across the English-speaking world.

Bébhinn

Bébhinn (sometimes written as Béibhinn) is an ancient Irish feminine name with deep Celtic roots. Pronounced roughly as 'BAY-vin' or 'BAY-veen,' it combines the Gaelic elements 'bé' meaning 'woman'…

Aoibh

Celtic, Short Form Of aoibheann

"beautiful, radiant"

One of many Irish names that, despite pronunciation challenge, are beginning to be taken into consideration here as authentic Celtic versions of familiar English names.

Gearóidin

Gearóidin is a feminine Irish name, the feminine form of Gearóid (the Irish version of Gerald). It has Gaelic origins and carries meanings related to 'rule of the spear' or 'brave with the spear'…

Onóra

Irish Gaelic

"honor"

Lovely variation of an upstanding classic.

Proinséas

Proinséas is the traditional Irish Gaelic form of Frances/Francis. This feminine name derives ultimately from Latin 'Franciscus,' meaning 'Frenchman' or 'free one.' The distinctive spelling reflects…