Awesome Irish Names

Aidan was originally a pet form of the Irish name Aodh (pronounced 'ee'), the name of the old Celtic god of the sun and fire. The name was borne by numerous early Irish saints, one of whom was noted for his kindness and generosity.

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

Irish Aileen and Scottish Eileen may be pronounced the same way or Aileen can be pronounced with a long a at the beginning. While neither is particularly stylish, Aileen is slightly more popular and has reversed its downward slide to inch upward in the past few years, perhaps thanks to its stylish A beginning. Nicknames for Aileen include Isla, Ayla, Lee and Lena.

Aisling is currently a very popular Irish name for girls. Pronounced variously as ASH-ling, ASH-lin or ash-LEEN, it was part of the revival of authentic Irish names in the twentieth century, and is now being sparingly used by U.S. parents in place of the dated Ashley--though often spelled phonetically as Ashlyn or Ashlynn.

This form of Alannah was derived directly from the Gaelic term a leanbh, meaning "child." Though not as popular as the more traditional Alana spelling, it has consistently charted in the US since 2007. Alannah Myles is popularizing this spelling of Alana.

A versatile name with many roots. Aran can simply be an alternative spelling of Aaron. The Aran Islands lie off Ireland's west coast, while the Aran Valley is a region of Catalonia bordering the Pyrenees mountains.

One of the trendiest of the new two-syllable boys’ names that have swept the country in the past few years, including the rhyming Aidan, Caden, Kaden, and Jaden. It's been falling on the US Top 1000 lately but it is still among the most popular contemporary English names for boys..

A short, breezy name with a sophisticated yet upbeat image, that doesn't betray its Irish roots. Bree first came to notice here in 1971 via the complex prostitute character in the movie Klute, which earned Jane Fonda an Oscar. More recently, it was tied to the character of Bree Van de Kamp on Desperate Housewives.

Brennan is a winning Irish surname name, more modern than Brian or Brendan, more unusual than Conor and Aidan. The only possible problem with Brennan: people might think you're saying Brendan.

Brianna's popularity in the US came later than father name Brian's, peaking in the 1990s, two decades after Brian's Top 10 reign of the 1970s.

Bridget is the Anglicized form of Brigid, an Irish-Gaelic name that was derived from the word brígh, which means "strength."

The original Irish spelling of Caitlin, the name that launched a thousand spelling variations.

Caitríona is a traditional Irish feminine name, the Irish Gaelic form of Katherine or Catherine. It derives ultimately from the Greek name 'Aikaterine,' though its exact original meaning remains debated, with theories including 'pure' or connections to the goddess Hecate. The name features the distinctive fada accent mark over the 'i' which indicates a long vowel sound in Irish. Pronounced approximately as 'kah-TREE-uh-nah,' it has been used in Ireland for centuries. Caitríona has moderate popularity in Ireland and among Irish diaspora communities but remains uncommon elsewhere. Notable bearers include Irish actress Caitríona Balfe. The name evokes Irish cultural heritage while offering the nickname options Cait, Caitrín, or Triona.

Variously spelled trendy name in the 1970s that hasn't even been in the Top 1000 in a decade.

One of the original unisex Irish surname names, energetic Casey bounced onto the scene in the 1960s, then peaked in the 1980s for both boys and girls. Today Casey is having a resurgence for both girls and boys and re-entered the charts on the girls' side, likely due to the character Kayce Dutton (pronounced like Casey) on the hit show Yellowstone.

Variant of Kathleen

Anglicized spelling of a county in Ireland, sometimes considered a variation of the Breton Kavan or of Kevin. Depending on your viewpoint, may make a fresh Kevin substitute or a choice that will drive you mad explaining that, no, it isn't Kevin.