150 Irish baby girl names - how to say them and their meanings

Considering an Irish name for your baby girl? We've compiled a brilliant list to inspire you with 150 of the most popular, traditional, pretty, unique, cool and interesting Irish girls' names, each with their origin, meaning and pronunciation

Published: June 6, 2024 at 9:48 AM

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Irish girls names have a charming musical quality with soft sounds reflecting the melodious intonation and rhythm of the Irish accent and Gaelic language. It's not just how lovely they sound that make Irish girls' names such a brilliant choice for your baby girl - many Irish names are derived from mythology or folklore, so often have beautiful, ethereal meanings to match.

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Many parents choose an Irish name to celebrate their own heritage or family connections to the Emerald Isle. However, with some of the prettiest names on the planet coming from Ireland, it's no surprise that more and more of us are picking names with Irish origins every year, with choices such as Imogen, Orla and Maeve regularly making it into the UK's list of top 100 most popular names for girls.

We know that picking a name for your new baby girl can be both overwhelming and exciting, with so many gorgeous options to sift through, so to help make it quicker and easier for you we've compiled a list of the top 150 Irish girls names. We've divided them into easy-to-digest sections such as the most popular Irish girls' names as well as traditional and old-fashioned names, pretty names and some unusual and unique options too. Looking for the perfect name for a new four-legged family member? We also have guides to the best dog names, including girl dog names and boy dog names!

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Need help picking a baby name with quintessential English charm , discover our list of the top English baby names and search for a name with a Celtic heritage for your new baby? We've compiled a brilliant list of Celtic baby names for both boys and girls with roots in old Welsh, Irish, Scottish, Breton, Manx and Cornish cultures. For cute, unique, popular and cool baby girl names have a look through our list of the best girl names that sound effortlessly on-trend, quirky and modern.

To help you with that final decision we've also included the origin and meaning for each one and, as many Irish names are derived from the Gaelic language with difficult to decipher spellings, their anglicised versions and pronunciations too. Watch out for any accents, known as a fada (an Irish diacritic marking added to the top of any vowel), which means the vowel has a long sound rather than a short one. Want to know which lovely traditional baby girl names are making a comeback? We've put together a list of 100 gorgeous old lady names for parents looking for a baby girl name with a sense of history.

Here's our list of 150 beautiful Irish girls names to inspire you...

Popular Irish girls names | Traditional Irish girls names | Unusual Irish girls names | Cool Irish girls names | Short Irish girls names | Pretty Irish girls names | Cute Irish girls names | Modern Irish girls names | Gender neutral Irish girls names

Popular Irish girls names

Some of the UK's most popular girls' names have Irish origins, including Imogen, Molly and Maeve. While no Irish names make it into the top 10 most popular girl names registered in England and Wales in 2022 (the 2023 list hasn't been released yet), 6 names did appear in the top 100 according to the Office for National Statistics. Some of these names are in their more common anglicised versions, rather than the original Irish spelling, although all have original roots in the beautiful Gaelic language.

We've also included the most popular Irish names that feature in Scotland's top 100 girl names, collected by the National Records of Scotland. With Ireland and Scotland's shared Celtic language links, it's no surprise that Irish names are common in Scotland with 5 names making it onto the Scottish list. You'll also find the most popular Irish girls names chosen for babies born in Northern Ireland in 2023 according to Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA), which as you can imagine, features many names with Irish origins in its top 100, including Fiadh, which comes in at number 2 and Aoife at number 8.

1. Evelyn (eve-linn)

2. Imogen

3. Erin or Éireann (air-uhn)

4. Orla, Orlagh or Órfhlaith (awr-la)

5. Molly or Mollie

6. Maeve (may-eev)

7. Mirren (mirr-uhn)

8. Aoife (ee-fa)

9. Niamh (neev)

10. Fiadh (fee-a)

11. Quinn (kw-in-h)

12. Rowan (row-uhn)

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Traditional Irish girls names

newborn baby girl in hospital bed

With a rich history spanning centuries, the Gaelic language and being famed for its many oral folk stories that have been passed down from generation to generation, Ireland has lots of beautiful old and traditional names to choose from for baby girls. If you like names with a classic sound or that have been tried-and-tested over many years then this is the list for you. Some names like Deirdre, Maureen and Moira have lost their popularity in recent years with pretty names like Clodagh, Siobhan, and Gráinne rising up through the ranks. Many of the names in this list are common in Ireland, but would be a little more unusual if you're looking to stand out from the crowd when used outside the Emerald Isle.

13. Aisling (ash-ling)

14. Bridget or Brighid (brij-id)

15. Bronagh (bro-nah)

16. Clodagh (clo-dah)

17. Coleen (kah-leen)

18. Deirdre (deer-druh)

19. Deirbhile or Dearbháil (der-vill-a)

20. Doireann (dir-ann)

21. Étaín (ay-tawn) or Éadaoin (aid-deen)

22. Fidelma (fee-dell-ma)

23. Fiona

24. Fionnuala (Feh-noo-la)

25. Gráinne or Granya (graw-nya)

26. Kathleen

27. Kelly

28. Maire (my-ra)

29. Maureen or Máirín (maw-reen)

30. Moira (moy-rah)

31. Muriel (myoor-ee-uhl)

32. Muireann (mur-in)

33. Myrna or Muirne (mir-ne)

34. Nessa

35. Noreen or Nóirín (noy-rihn)

36. Oonagh (oo-nuh)

37. Siobhan (shiv-awn)

38. Sheila or Síle (shee-la)

39. Treasa (trey-sah)

Unusual Irish girls names

These unusual Irish girls' names are as unique as your little one and will really stand out from the crowd both in terms of their spellings and how they sound. If you want an original name for your girl with a special meaning like "bringer of joy" or "my beloved" then you'll find a name to suit in this list. We've included how to pronounce these rare and unusual names too - with many being much easier to say than to spell.

40. Aithne (ay-th-ne)

41. Assumpta (uh-sump-t-uh)

42. Aurnia (ore-nee-uh)

43. Beibhinn (beh-vin)

44. Bedelia (bed-il-e-uh)

45. Blaine (b-lain)

46. Caoilinn (kwee-linn)

47. Cessair or Ceasair (suh-sair)

48. Gobnait (gub-net)

49. Eachna (ahk-na)

50. Éireann (eh-re-ann)

51. Líadan (lee-uh-din)

52. Mavourneen (ma-vour-neen)

53. Móirín (mur-in)

54. Muadhnait (moo-an-it)

55. Pádraigín (paw-drig-een)

56. Rathnait (ra-net)

57. Ríoghnach (rief-nyak)

58. Riona (ree-o-na)

59. Scáthach (ska-ha)

60. Síomha (see-o-va)

Cool Irish girls names

Many Irish baby names are rooted in history and sound quite traditional. If you're looking for something a little more modern and sleek sounding though as well as an Irish name that is easy to spell and pronounce, then this list is for you. With names inspired by Irish surnames and geographical locations and with meanings including fire goddess and courageous, they are strong choices and you'll certainly be a trend-setter if you choose one of these cool Irish names.

61. Alannah

62. Bridget

63. Bridie (bry-dee)

64. Caitlin

65. Carey

66. Cassidy

67. Dacey

68. Fianna

69. Kayleigh

70. Morrigan

71. Rylee or Riley

72. Sadhbh (sigh-ve)

73. Seána or Shauna (shaw-na)

74. Shannon

75. Sheridan

76. Tara

77. Tierney (tee-uh-nee)

Short Irish girls names

Short, but sweet, these Irish names have between 3 and 5 letters and are easy to say and spell. A short name is a good choice if your baby's surname is going to be long and multisyllabic and you want to create balance to the name. It also makes life a lot easier for your child to learn to write their name and when it comes to filling out forms later in life! These Irish baby names might be short to say, but they still have lovely meanings and sound pretty and elegant.

78. Áine (awn-ya)

79. Alva

80. Bree

81. Cara

82. Ena, Enya or Eithne (en-ya)

83. Evan or Éimhín (eh-viy-n)

84. Fia (fee-uh)

85. Íde (ee-duh)

86. Líle (lee-leh)

87. Mona (moh-nuh)

88. Nóra (naw-ruh)

89. Orna (or-nah)

90. Saibh (sive)

91. Shea (shay)

92. Úna (oo-nah)

Pretty Irish girls names

newborn girl sleeping with pink hat and blanket

There's no denying that the Irish accent and Gaelic language is full of pretty melodic sounds and none so beautiful as these girls names. If you want to give your daughter a name that is as gorgeous as she looks then this is a good place to start. Many of these names end in an "a" giving them a pretty cadence when spoken, while others are made up of multiple syllables that roll off the tongue in an enjoyable way. They all have beautiful meanings to match too.

93. Alana (uh-lawn-uh)

94. Alaina (aa-leyn-aa)

95. Alastríona (al-as-tree-na)

96. Cadhla (ky-lah)

97. Catriona (kuh-tree-nah)

98. Clíona (klee-ow-na)

99. Croía (cree-ya)

100. Dáiríne (daa-ree-n-ae)

101. Edana (ee-dar-na)

102. Eilís or Eilish (eye-lish)

103. Ennis (eh-nihs)

104. Finola (fih-noh-lah)

105. Isibéal (ish-a-bell)

106. Kiera (key-rah)

107. Meara (mear-a)

108. Nuala (nu-ala)

109. Maura (mawr-uh)

110. Róis (raw-sh)

111. Róisin (ro-sheen)

112. Rosaleen

113. Rowyn (roh-win)

114. Séarlait (shar-lat)

115. Sorcha (sor-aka or surk-ha)

Cute Irish girls names

Choose a name that's as cute as your baby from this list of charming Irish girls' names and you won't regret it. We love the meanings of these lovely names with flower, pearl and precious perfectly reflecting the innocence and beauty of a baby girl.

116. Aoibheann (ay-veen) or Aoibhe (ee-vah)

117. Ailbhe (al-vah)

118. Bláthnaid (blaw-nid)

119. Caoimhe (kwee-va) or Keeva

120. Ciara (kee-arr-ah)

121. Clíodhna (klee-uhna)

122. Dearbhla (durv-la)

123. Damhnait (daw-nye)

124. Eimear (ee-mur)

125. Laoise (lee-sha)

126. Mairead (maw-raid)

127. Saoirse (seer-sha)

128. Saraid (sao-rihd)

129. Sinead (shi-nayd)

130. Síofra

131. Taryn

132. Teagan

133. Tuilelaith (til-a-la) or Talulla

Gender neutral Irish baby names

Perhaps you want to give your baby the freedom and choice to be exactly who she wants to be when she grows up? Then a strong unisex name could be the perfect option. With names derived from surnames, places, history and folklore, this list of Irish names could be used for both baby girls and baby boys.

134. Aran

135. Bevin

136. Casey

137. Collins

138. Darby

139. Darcy

140. Delaney

141. Fallon

142. Kennedy

143. Larkin

144. Lennon

145. Murphy

146. Nollaig (null-ig)

147. Reagan

148. Riley

149. Ríonach (ree-in-och)

150. Sloane

What are the most popular baby girl names in Ireland?

Here are the 10 most popular baby names for girls in Ireland right now, according to the 2023 list of baby names from the Central Statistics Office Ireland. As you'll see, there are only two obviously Irish names in the list - Fiadh and Éabha - with all the other names having clear origins from other countries and cultures.  

  1. Grace. Origin: Latin; Meaning: charm, goodness, generosity
  2. Fiadh. Origin: Irish; Meaning: deer, wildness
  3. Emily. Origin: Latin; Meaning: to emulate
  4. Sophie. Origin: Greek; Meaning: wisdom
  5. Lily. Origin: Latin; Meaning: pure, rebirth
  6. Ellie. Origin: Greek; Meaning: light
  7. Mia. Origin: Spanish/ Italian; Meaning: mine
  8. Amelia. Origin: Latin; Meaning: hard working
  9. Éabha. Origin: Irish; Meaning: life
  10. Ella. Origin: Hebrew; Meaning: fairy-maiden, goddess

Pics: Getty

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journalist and two young kids sat on a bench in France for a review of Eurocamp

Hollie BondSenior Digital Journalist

Hollie is Senior Digital Journalist at MadeForMums. She writes articles about pregnancy, parenting, child health and getting pregnant. She has written for a number of national lifestyle magazines and websites over the past 12 years including Family History Monthly, You and Your Wedding and Muddy Stilettos. She has two children aged 5 and 8 and hasn't slept since 2017!

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