Irish Names for Girls: The Complete List
Across 14 pages
of 14
Neve
Anglicized spelling of Irish Niamh or Italian and Portuguese
"snow"
Introduced to the American public by actress Neve Campbell; it was her Dutch-born mother's maiden name. Neve is an interesting and fresh new possibility, one which Conan O'Brien chose for his…
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…
Noreena
Noreena is a feminine name with several possible origins. It may be a variant of Noreen, the Irish diminutive form of Nora meaning "honor" or "light." The additional syllable gives Noreena a more…
O'brien
Irish
"descendant of Brian"
This kind of authentic Irish surname makes a memorable first name for either sex, following in the path of all the Mac and Mc names recently popular.
Orna
Irish
"little pale green one"
This Irish saint's name sounds like a lopped-off Lorna.
Orla
Irish
"golden princess"
Orla is an Irish name closely associated with the high king Brian Boru, as it was the name of his sister, daughter and niece. It was very popular in the Middle Ages – the fourth most popular name in…
Paili
Irish variation of Polly
Authentic Irish choice, easy to spell, tricky to pronounce.
Peig
Peig is a traditional Irish feminine name, functioning as a diminutive form of Margaret. The name Margaret itself derives from Greek 'margarites' meaning 'pearl'. Peig gained notability in Ireland…
Pegeen
Irish, diminutive of Mairead, Irish form of Margaret
Infrequently used relic of the Maureen-Colleen-Kathleen era, though it does seem to have a bit more energy than the others.
Regan
Irish
"little king"
Like somewhat more popular twin sister Reagan, this vibrant last-name-first Irish choice makes a strong, straightforward option. She does have a couple of downsides though. Regan entered the girls'…
Reilly
Irish
"courageous"
Riley is the spelling of this lively Irish name most often picked for girls, but this version is occasionally used.
Renny
Irish
"little prosperous one"
This name may be interpreted as an offbeat Anglicized form of the Gaelic Rathnait, though it could also be considered a diminutive of Renee, Renata, Lorenza, Lauren, Lorena, and similar. Influencers…
Riona
Irish
"queenly"
We'd opt for Fiona.
Rosaleen
Irish diminutive of Rose
"rose, a flower"
The name of a sympathetic character in the best-selling novel The Secret Life of Bees , though it feels more stylish these days spelled Rosaline.
Rohan
Irish and Scottish; Hindi
"rowan tree, little redhead; ascension"
Rohan is an Indian (masculine) name derived from Sanskrit and meaning "ascension", however, it is one of those names with cross-cultural possibilities. It can also be a spelling variation of Rowan or…
Roan
Variation of Rowan, Irish and Scottish, Frisian, English word name
"little redhead; rowan tree; raven; animal with a coat of two interspersed colors"
Historically more popular for boys and generally less familiar than its sound-alike Rowan, Roan is a name with multiple meanings, origins, and pronunciations. Given to less than 10 girls back in…
Saoirse
Irish
"liberty"
Before the young Irish actress Saoirse Ronan made her mark in the films Ladybird and The Lovely Bones , few of us had heard this name, let alone known how to pronounce it. But now it is slowly way…
Saraid
Irish
"excellent; freedom"
An ancient and powerful name, Saraid may intrigued those who enjoy Saoirse, Mairead, Brigid, and Sara but are looking for something historical and unique. Traditionally pronounced as "SA-rid" or…
Sorcha
Irish
"bright, shining"
A popular Irish name virtually unknown here, but one that feels like it could follow in the footsteps of Siobhan and Saoirse. It's pronounced SOR-ka, but with a little hiccup between the ' r ' and…
Seana
Irish Gaelic
"god is gracious"
More streamlined – and more authentic – than Shawna.