690+ Irish Names (With Meanings and Popularity)
- Aoibheann
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"beautiful sheen"Description:
An ancient Aoibheann was the mother of Saint Enda, and Aoibheann remains popular in Ireland today, sometimes with its Anglicized spelling Eavan.
- Daire
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"oak tree"Description:
Daire, along with brother names Dara and Darragh, is among the Top 100 boys' names in Ireland today. An ancient name with an inspirational meaning, pronunciation could prove confusing to Americans.
- Edan
Origin:
Irish and HebrewMeaning:
"little fire; era"Description:
This cross-cultural name is a spelling variant of two different popular names: the Irish Aidan and the Hebrew Idan. While Idan is a Top 100 choice in Israel, Aidan - and Aiden - in a number of English speaking countries. Pleasingly simple and concise, Edan may however be mistaken for Eden.
- Makenna
Origin:
Spelling variation of McKenna or Eastern AfricanMeaning:
"happy one"Description:
Part of the Mackenzie/Mackena/Mackenna family, this variation has a positive meaning.
- Áine
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"brilliance, wit"Description:
Name of a fertility goddess said to confer luck on its bearer, though to avoid confusion you may want to use the phonetic spelling Anya or Enya.
- Keely
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"slender"Description:
Keely is well-used in modern Ireland, also found as Keeley and Keela. The boys' form is Keelan. Largely unknown in the US, this could make an interesting update for Kelly or Kaylie or Kylie -- though it might ultimately prove to close to one of those trendy names.
- Grainne
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"grain or love"Description:
Grainne is the Irish form of the name often Anglicized as Grania. It was the name of the ancient grain goddess and also of the fiancee of mythological hero Finn McCool and lover of Dermot, who was a heroine of the seas.
- Talullah
Origin:
Irish, Anglicized variation of TuilelaithMeaning:
"lady of abundance"Description:
Talullah or Talulla, the old Irish name of two early saints, is almost identical to the Native-American Tallulah. A modern hipster favorite, however it's spelled.
- Marmaduke
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"devotee of Maedoc"Description:
One of the ultimate teasable names, an Irish saint's name now associated with the oversized comic-strip dog. Scottish adventurer Bear (born Edward) Grylls took up the challenge when he used it for his son.
- Ita
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"thirst"Description:
The name of one of the most famous medieval Irish saints, who was known as "the foster-mother of the saints," and founded a nunnery in the county of Limerick. Might be of interest to someone looking for an unusual 3-letter name.
- Devin
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"poet"Description:
Used far more for boys with this spelling, but still has a nice impish Irish feel for a girl.
- Veren
- Reilly
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"courageous"Description:
Riley is the spelling of this lively Irish name most often picked for girls, but this version is occasionally used.
- Flynn
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"descendant of the red-haired one"Description:
A winning last-name-first Celtic choice, Flynn is still mostly used for boys, such as the son of Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr. Though Flynn is definitely one of the Irish surname names, from Quinn to Flannery to Makenna, that makes one of the trendy boy names for girls".
- Keeley
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"slender"Description:
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.
- Regan
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"little king"Description:
A spelling variant of presidential surname Regan that briefly entered the Top 1000 for boys in the 1960s, but hasn't rejoined the list since. Shakespeare also used the name for a daughter of King Lear, inspired by an ancient king of the Britons in accounts of the medieval scribe Geoffrey of Monmouth.
- Colleen
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"girl"Description:
Midcentury Irish-American favorite, never used in Ireland itself, being the generic word for "girl"; rarely given today.
- Dallas
Origin:
Place name, surnamed and IrishMeaning:
"skilled"Description:
A name with a bit of glamor but also cowgirl vibes, Dallas entered the US Top 1000 for girls in 1992. It fell out of style during noughties, but reappeared in 2012 when other gender neutral names like River, Sawyer, Rowan, and Blake were also climbing fast.
- Eibhlin
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"shining, brilliant"Description:
Irish Gaelic form of Evelyn or Aveline, more authentically spelled Eibhlín.
- Yseult
Origin:
French variation of Iseult, CelticMeaning:
"fair, light-skinned"Description:
Variation of Isolde, the name of a great Celtic heroine. The mononymous French singer Yseult is the most notable bearer today.