177+ Irish Baby Names That Are Totally Beautiful

Irish names are having a moment everywhere outside Ireland.

Maeve joined the US top 100 for the first time in 2023. Saoirse is climbing fast on both sides of the Atlantic. Niamh, Aoife, Aisling, Cillian — names that most American and British parents could not have pronounced ten years ago are now showing up on birth certificates in California and Yorkshire and Sydney.

Inside Ireland itself, the 2025 CSO data tells a different story. Rián topped the boys’ charts. Éabha held second place for girls. Fiadh rose to third. The most authentically Irish names are not the ones trending internationally — they are the ones being quietly chosen by Irish parents right now for Irish babies.

This list covers both worlds. Names that are crossing over internationally and names that are genuinely Irish in a way that most name lists never reach. Every pronunciation is included where the spelling gives nothing away, because there is no point recommending a name you cannot say.

Irish Girl Names: Popular and Rising

Some Irish girl names have already arrived in the mainstream. Others are close behind.

Riley is the number one Irish girl name in the US right now, which surprises most people who think of it as an American name. Maeve is in the top 100. Nora is beloved across Europe and the US simultaneously. What is interesting is how these names carry their Irish roots without making a song and dance about it. They are just beautiful names that happen to come from a specific tradition.

1. Maeve — Means “she who intoxicates.” Queen of Connacht in Irish mythology.
2. Nora — Means “honour” and “light.” Top name in both Ireland and the US.
3. Riley — Means “valiant.” The number one Irish girl name in the US.
4. Fiadh — Pronounced “FEE-a.” Means “wild, untamed.” Third most popular girl name in Ireland in 2025.
5. Éabha — Pronounced “AY-va.” The Irish form of Eve. Second most popular girl name in Ireland in 2025.
6. Aoife — Pronounced “EE-fa.” Means “radiant beauty.” The greatest woman warrior in Irish mythology.
7. Saoirse — Pronounced “SEER-sha.” Means “freedom.” Rising fast internationally.
8. Niamh — Pronounced “NEEV.” Means “bright.” Golden-haired princess of the Land of Youth in Irish mythology.
9. Orla — Means “golden princess.” Both the sister and daughter of Brian Boru were named Orla.
10. Aisling — Pronounced “ASH-ling.” Means “dream or vision.”
11. Caoimhe — Pronounced “KEE-va.” Means “gentle, beloved, precious.”
12. Roisin — Pronounced “ro-SHEEN.” Means “little rose.”
13. Ciara — Pronounced “KEER-a.” Means “dark one.”
14. Siobhan — Pronounced “shih-VAWN.” The Irish form of Joan.
15. Deirdre — From Irish mythology. One of the most tragic and beautiful love stories in the tradition.
16. Grainne — Pronounced “GRAWN-ya.” A legendary Irish princess.
17. Clodagh — Pronounced “CLOH-da.” Named after a river in Tipperary.
18. Sorcha — Pronounced “SOR-a-ha.” Means “radiance.”
19. Eithne — Pronounced “EH-na.” An ancient saint’s name.
20. Ide — Pronounced “EE-da.” An early Irish saint. Simple and spiritual.

Irish Girl Names: Ancient and Rare

These are the names that most people outside Ireland have never heard of.

They come from Irish mythology, from early Christian tradition, from the landscape and the language itself. Some of them have never appeared on an international trending list. That is exactly what makes them worth knowing.

21. Fionnuala — Pronounced “fi-NOO-la.” Means “fair shoulders.” The daughter of Lir, transformed into a swan.
22. Meadhbh — The original spelling of Maeve. For those who want to keep it deeply Irish.
23. Áine — Pronounced “AWN-ya.” Irish goddess of love, summer, and wealth.
24. Clíodhna — Pronounced “KLEE-na.” Goddess of beauty and love.
25. Sadhbh — Pronounced “SYV” or “SIVE.” A woman transformed into a deer in Irish mythology.
26. Muirgheal — Pronounced “MWIR-yal.” Means “bright as the sea.”
27. Lasairfhíona — Pronounced “LAS-ar-ee-na.” Means “flame of wine.” One of the most extraordinary names in any language.
28. Étaín — Pronounced “AY-teen.” A goddess reincarnated multiple times through Irish mythology.
29. Gráinne — The full form of Grainne. A legendary runaway bride and one of Ireland’s great heroines.
30. Oonagh — Pronounced “OO-na.” Queen of the fairies in Irish folklore.
31. Líadan — Pronounced “LEE-a-dan.” From one of the great Irish love poems.
32. Bébhinn — Pronounced “BAY-vin.” A goddess from the land of eternal youth.
33. Aobh — Pronounced “EEV.” Means “beauty and radiance.”
34. Findabair — Pronounced “FIN-a-var.” Daughter of Medb, one of Irish mythology’s most beautiful women.
35. Naoirse — A rare variation of Saoirse. Even more distinctive.
36. Caer — Pronounced “KARE.” A goddess who transforms between human and swan form.
37. Tlachtga — Pronounced “TLACH-ta.” A powerful druidess from Irish mythology.
38. Almha — Pronounced “AL-va.” A goddess associated with the Hill of Allen.
39. Fand — A sea goddess and wife of Manannan mac Lir.
40. Blánaid — Pronounced “BLAW-nid.” Means “little flower.”

Irish Girl Names: Modern and Accessible

Not every Irish name requires a pronunciation guide.

Some crossed over into English usage centuries ago and feel completely natural to English-speaking parents today. Others are new enough to have easy spellings that give away the sound. All of them have genuine Irish roots.

41. Fiona — Means “fair and white.” Widely used across the English-speaking world.
42. Brigid — The patron saint of Ireland. One of the most powerful names in the tradition.
43. Bridget — The anglicised form of Brigid. Warm and classic.
44. Erin — The poetic name for Ireland itself. Means “western island.”
45. Kathleen — The anglicised form of Caitlín. A beloved Irish-American classic.
46. Colleen — Simply means “girl” in Irish. Warm and friendly.
47. Shannon — Means “wise river.” Named after Ireland’s longest river.
48. Sinead — Pronounced “shin-ADE.” The Irish form of Janet.
49. Delaney — Means “dark challenger.” Surname name rising fast in the US.
50. Quinn — Means “wisdom and reason.” One of the most popular gender-neutral Irish names.
51. Neve — The anglicised form of Niamh. Clean, simple, beautiful.
52. Faye — Connects to Irish fairy tradition. Light and lovely.
53. Keeva — The anglicised spelling of Caoimhe. Accessible and beautiful.
54. Rori — A feminine form of Rory. Uncommon and striking.
55. Finola — The anglicised form of Fionnuala. Elegant and rare.
56. Nollaig — Pronounced “NAW-layk.” The Irish word for Christmas. Completely original.
57. Maura — The anglicised form of Máire. Warm and quietly Irish.
58. Una — Pronounced “OO-na.” Means “lamb.” Medieval and beautiful.
59. Ailbhe — Pronounced “AL-va.” Means “world, light, rock.” Gender-neutral and rare.
60. Dymphna — Pronounced “DIM-na.” An Irish saint whose name means “eligible.”

Irish Boy Names: Popular and Rising

Irish boy names are climbing internationally too.

Cillian Murphy winning the Academy Award in 2024 sent parents rushing to name babies Cillian. Declan has been quietly rising in the US for a decade. Oisín moved into the Irish top five in 2025. Finn is now so mainstream in the US and UK that most parents forget it is Irish.

61. Rián — Pronounced “REE-an.” Means “little king.” The most popular boys’ name in Ireland in 2025.
62. Oisín — Pronounced “UH-sheen.” Moved to 5th in Ireland in 2025. Son of Fionn in Irish mythology.
63. Finn — Short form of Fionn. Now mainstream but genuinely Irish.
64. Declan — A fifth-century Irish saint. Climbing steadily in the US.
65. Cillian — Pronounced “KIL-ee-an.” Cillian Murphy’s Oscar put this back on the map.
66. Cormac — Means “charioteer.” Ancient and strong.
67. Lorcan — Pronounced “LOR-can.” Means “little fierce one.”
68. Tadhg — Pronounced “TY-g.” Means “poet.” Wildly unusual outside Ireland.
69. Niall — Pronounced “NEEL.” The legendary High King of Ireland.
70. Eamon — Pronounced “AY-mon.” The Irish form of Edmund.
71. Enda — An ancient Irish saint. Simple and spiritual.
72. Caolan — Pronounced “KAY-lan.” Means “slender warrior.”
73. Ruairí — Pronounced “ROO-ree.” Means “red king.”
74. Diarmuid — Pronounced “DEER-mid.” The great lover of Irish mythology.
75. Ciarán — Pronounced “KEER-an.” An important early Irish saint.
76. Brendan — St. Brendan sailed across the Atlantic in the sixth century. The name carries that spirit.
77. Colm — Irish form of Columba, meaning “dove.”
78. Fergus — Means “man of strength.” Scottish and Irish.
79. Brennan — Means “little raven.” Warm and strong.
80. Donal — The Irish form of Donald. Rare and genuine.

Irish Boy Names: Ancient and Rare

These are the names carried by kings and warriors and saints across fifteen hundred years of Irish history.

Most of them have never left Ireland. Most English-speaking parents have never encountered them. And that is exactly what makes them extraordinary.

81. Fionn — Means “fair and white.” The greatest hero in Irish mythology.
82. Cú Chulainn — The Hound of Ulster. Too bold for most but carried in parts as Cuchulain.
83. Conall — Means “strong as a wolf.” An important figure in the Ulster Cycle.
84. Lugh — Pronounced “LOO.” The god of light and craftsmanship in Irish mythology.
85. Manannan — Pronounced “MA-na-nan.” The god of the sea. Extraordinary as a name.
86. Fionn mac Cumhaill — The full name of Fionn. Mac Cumhaill alone is occasionally used.
87. Aodh — Pronounced “AY” or “EE.” Means “fire.” Given to kings and legendary figures.
88. Caoilfhinn — Pronounced “KWEEL-in.” Means “slender and fair.”
89. Eoghan — Pronounced “OH-an.” Means “born of the yew tree.”
90. Feidlimid — Pronounced “FAY-lim.” Means “ever good.” Three early kings of Munster bore this name.
91. Tighearnach — Pronounced “TEER-na.” An ancient bishop of Clones.
92. Amalgaid — An ancient Irish king. Completely extraordinary as a name.
93. Ailill — Pronounced “AL-yil.” Means “elf.” Appears frequently in Irish legend.
94. Conchobar — Pronounced “KON-a-var.” The King of Ulster in the great Irish sagas.
95. Naoise — Pronounced “NEE-sha.” The tragic hero of the Deirdre legend.
96. Muircheartach — Pronounced “MUR-har-tach.” An ancient High King.
97. Tiarnan — Means “little lord.” Old and rarely used.
98. Cethern — Pronounced “KE-hern.” A warrior from the Ulster Cycle.
99. Senán — Pronounced “SHA-nawn.” An early Irish saint.
100. Bréanainn — The original Irish form of Brendan. The saint’s actual name.

Irish Boy Names: Modern and Accessible

Irish boy names that English-speaking parents can use without a pronunciation tutorial.

Some of these have been in English use for generations. Others are newer crossovers. All of them have genuine Irish roots and all of them sound right when said aloud without any knowledge of the Irish language.

101. Patrick — The patron saint of Ireland. The most internationally recognised Irish name.
102. Sean — Pronounced “SHAWN.” The Irish form of John.
103. Shane — Anglicised form of Seán. Clean and strong.
104. Shea — Means “stately” in Irish. Gender-neutral and lovely.
105. Kieran — The anglicised form of Ciarán. Climbing for both boys and girls.
106. Kevin — From the Irish Caoimhín. One of the great Irish saints.
107. Connor — The anglicised form of Conchobar. Consistently popular.
108. Brian — From the Irish Brían. Means “high and noble.” Brian Boru’s name.
109. Ryan — The anglicised form of Rían. Still widely used internationally.
110. Liam — Short form of Uilliam, the Irish form of William. Now globally popular.
111. Aidan — Anglicised form of Aodhán. Means “little fire.”
112. Ronan — Means “little seal.” An Irish saint and a beautiful name.
113. Callum — The Scottish Gaelic form of Columba. Climbing fast everywhere.
114. Rory — Means “red king.” Still mostly male in the UK, rising for girls in the US.
115. Brady — Means “broad valley.” Warm Irish surname name.
116. Brogan — Means “sturdy shoe.” Quirky and completely Irish.
117. Caden — Anglicised form of Catán. Modern and accessible.
118. Lennon — Irish origin, means “dear one.” John Lennon made it cool for girls too.
119. Tiernan — Means “lord.” Old and underused.
120. Fallon — Means “superior.” Rising as a gender-neutral name.

Gender-Neutral Irish Names

Irish tradition has always had names that float between genders.

Quinn has been used for boys and girls for decades. Rowan sits comfortably on either side. Riley started male and is now predominantly female in the US while remaining male elsewhere. Irish names are particularly good at this because many of them are so distinctive in sound that they do not need a gender to feel complete.

121. Quinn — Means “wisdom and reason.” One of the most popular gender-neutral names globally.
122. Rowan — Means “little red one.” Works beautifully for boys and girls.
123. Riley — Means “valiant.” The top Irish girl name in the US and still used for boys.
124. Rory — Means “red king.” Rising for girls in the US, still mostly male in the UK.
125. Lennon — Means “dear one.” Used for boys and girls.
126. Finley — Means “fair warrior.” Climbing for both genders.
127. Reagan — Means “little king.” Presidential and Irish simultaneously.
128. Shea — Means “stately.” Clean and gender-neutral.
129. Fallon — Means “superior.” Used for boys and girls.
130. Ailbhe — Pronounced “AL-va.” Gender-neutral with genuine ancient roots.
131. Oran — Means “little pale green one.” An early Irish saint.
132. Callen — Irish origin. Works for boys and girls.
133. Tierney — Means “lord.” Rising as a gender-neutral surname name.
134. Collins — From the Irish O’Cuilleain. Clean, modern, gender-neutral.
135. Kerrigan — Means “little dark one.” Warm and Irish.

Short Irish Names

Short Irish names are some of the best in any tradition.

Maeve. Finn. Orla. Niall. Fiadh. All two syllables or fewer. All completely distinctive. All carrying genuine weight from a tradition that has been naming people for fifteen hundred years. A short Irish name is not a compromise. It is often where the best names in the tradition live.

136. Maeve — Already listed but the best short Irish girl name in use right now.
137. Orla — Means “golden princess.” Two syllables and completely beautiful.
138. Finn — The greatest Irish hero in one syllable.
139. Niall — One syllable. The legendary High King.
140. Fiadh — Pronounced “FEE-a.” Two syllables. Wild and beautiful.
141. Áine — Pronounced “AWN-ya.” Two syllables. Goddess of love.
142. Lugh — Pronounced “LOO.” One syllable. God of light.
143. Una — Two syllables. Means “lamb.”
144. Fand — One syllable. Sea goddess.
145. Neve — Two syllables. The anglicised Niamh.
146. Colm — One syllable. Means “dove.”
147. Bríd — Pronounced “BREED.” One syllable. The Irish form of Brigid.
148. Enda — Two syllables. Ancient saint.
149. Rían — Two syllables. Little king. Ireland’s top boy name in 2025.
150. Naoise — Pronounced “NEE-sha.” Two syllables. The tragic hero.

Irish Names From Mythology

Irish mythology is one of the richest naming traditions in the world.

The stories are ancient — older than most European literary traditions. The characters are extraordinary. And the names they carry have never been diluted by trends or oversaturation because most of the world has never looked at them. A name from Irish mythology is genuinely original in a way that almost nothing else can be.

151. Fionn — The greatest hero.
152. Cú Chulainn — The Hound of Ulster.
153. Diarmuid — Pronounced “DEER-mid.” The great lover.
154. Lugh — God of light and craftsmanship.
155. Manannan — God of the sea.
156. Naoise — The tragic hero of Deirdre’s story.
157. Conchobar — Pronounced “KON-a-var.” King of Ulster.
158. Conall — Strong as a wolf.
159. Étaín — Pronounced “AY-teen.” A goddess reborn.
160. Áine — Goddess of love and summer.
161. Fand — Sea goddess.
162. Clíodhna — Pronounced “KLEE-na.” Goddess of beauty.
163. Caer — Transformed between human and swan.
164. Medb — Pronounced “MAYV.” The warrior queen of Connacht.
165. Oonagh — Queen of the fairies.
166. Sadhbh — Pronounced “SYV.” Transformed into a deer.
167. Fionnuala — Transformed into a swan.
168. Tlachtga — Pronounced “TLACH-ta.” A powerful druidess.
169. Findabair — Pronounced “FIN-a-var.” Daughter of Medb.
170. Bébhinn — Pronounced “BAY-vin.” Goddess from the land of eternal youth.

Irish Names Trending Internationally in 2025

These are the Irish names that parents outside Ireland are reaching for right now.

Some of them have been popular for a while. Others are genuinely new arrivals on international charts. All of them show the same thing — that Irish names are crossing over into the broader English-speaking world faster than they ever have before.

171. Maeve — US top 100 for the first time in 2023.
172. Cillian — Rising fast after Cillian Murphy’s Oscar win.
173. Saoirse — Climbing internationally. Saoirse Ronan made it visible.
174. Declan — Steadily rising in the US for a decade.
175. Niamh — Increasingly chosen by UK parents.
176. Oisín — Rising outside Ireland alongside its surge inside it.
177. Aoife — Gaining traction in the UK and Australia.
178. Fiadh — Moving from Irish charts onto international radar.

Wrapping Up

178 Irish baby names, from the most popular choices on both Irish and international charts right now to the ancient mythological names that most parents have never encountered.

Irish names carry something that is very hard to find in other traditions. Real antiquity. Real mythology. Real history that goes back further than most other naming cultures in the English-speaking world. And right now, parents everywhere are starting to notice that.

Go back through the ones that stopped you. Say them out loud. Irish names sound completely different spoken than read, and many of the most beautiful ones look intimidating on a page and feel completely natural once you hear them.