Irish Girl Names by ViVi
- Brigid
Origin:
Irish variation of BrighidMeaning:
"strength or exalted one"Description:
Brigid is the simpler Irish version of the name of the goddess of fire, which may also be spelled Brighid. Other variations include Bridget, the most usual spelling in the U.S., and the French Brigitte.
- Brigidine
Origin:
Irish variation of BrighidDescription:
Brigidine is a unique take on Bridget used by singer Sinead O'Connor. But assuming you're not an Irish rock star, you'd probably do better to stop at Brigid.
- Brona
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"sorrow"Description:
Brona is an Anglicized form of Bronach or Bronagh, the name of a sixth century mystic and follower of Saint Patrick. The name is attracting some modern notice in the US via the character Brona Croft in TV's Penny Dreadful.
- Bronagh
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"sorrow"Description:
Bronagh, along with Anglicized form Brona, is a popular name in Ireland. It's the name of a sixth century mystic as well as a modern television character on Penny Dreadful.
- Caiside
- Ceara
Origin:
Spelling variation of Irish CiaraDescription:
Even though the pronunciation of Ceara and the more usual Ciara is KEER-a, most Americans would tend to mispronounce this spelling variation as Sierra.
- Cessair
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"sorrow, affliction"Description:
Lovely and rare (even in Ireland) mythological widow whose tears rained on Ireland.
- Ciara
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"little dark one"Description:
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.
- Cliodhna
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"shapely"Description:
Cliodhna and its simplified form Cliona are both well-used in modern Ireland though they are ancient mythological names. The goddess Cliodhna left the Land of Promise with a mortal but was punished for her desertion by being swept to sea by a giant wave.
- Cliona
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"shapely"Description:
Attached in Irish mythology to a Cliona who was, among other things, an inspirer of poets. Cliona is well-used in modern Ireland, along with Irish form Cliodhna, though it's largely unknown in the rest of the world.
- Clodagh
Origin:
Irish river nameDescription:
A popular choice in Ireland, Clodagh was the name of a river and later a saint. The "cloddy" aspect of the name has prevented it from spreading beyond Ireland, but that could change. Famous namesakes are singer Clodagh Rodgers and chef Clodagh McKenna.
- Colleen
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"girl"Description:
Midcentury Irish-American favorite, never used in Ireland itself, being the generic word for "girl"; rarely given today.
- Dearbhail
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"true desire"Description:
This Irish Gaelic name would be more accessible in other cultures in its modern Dervla form.
- Dearbhla
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"daughter of the poet"Description:
Dearbhla along with its Anglicized form Dervla are both well-used in modern Ireland. There was a medieval Saint Dearbhla. The spelling Deirbhile is also used.
- Decla
Origin:
Irish, feminine variation of DeclanDescription:
Has an incomplete feeling....
- Deirdre
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"sorrowful"Description:
Sadly, this strong Celtic name often has "of the sorrows" attached to it because of the tragic character in Irish legend. Also a bit drab when compared with newer Irish imports.
- Duana
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"song"Description:
Name your daughter Duana after a Duane relative if you like, but please pronounce it doo-ahn-a and not doo-wain-a.
- Eachna
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"horse"Description:
Eachna is the name of an Irish goddess renowned for her beauty, brains and stylishness; in early legend, a Connacht princess named Eachna was deemed to be one of the loveliest and cleverest women int he world.Eachna is pronounced ahk-na, so despite its nice namesake story, it would provide a pronunciation challenge outside the Irish culture.
- Eavan
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"beautiful sheen"Description:
Anglicized spelling of the difficult-to-decipher Gaelic Aoibheann, the name of several Irish princesses, this name rhymes with Steven. Eavan Boland is a distinguished Irish poet who teaches at Stanford University.
- Edana
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"fire"Description:
Feminine of Aidan, but now girls would prefer to use the original.