23 popular Irish names and what they mean
Life & Style

23 popular Irish names and what they mean

Áine

Meaning splendor, radiance, brilliance, the name Áine is connected with fruitfulness and prosperity and appears in folktales as 'the best-hearted woman who ever lived – lucky in love and in money.'

Aoife

Meaning beautiful, radiant, joyful, Aoife was known as the greatest woman warrior in the world and the mother of Cuchulainn’s only son, Connlach.

Bláthnaid

Bláth means flower or blossom. In Irish legend she was the reluctant wife of Curai Mac Daire but loved Cuchulainn - her husband’s rival.

Caoimhe

Meaning gentle, beautiful and precious.

Ciara

Ciara is female form of Ciaran and is taken from the Irish work ciar -  meaning dark and implying dark hair and brown eyes.

Clíona/Clíodnagh

From the name clodhna meaning shapely.

Dónal/Domhnall

Meaning domhan, the Irish for world. It also means mighty, implying ruler of the world.

Fionn

Meaning fair-headed, Fionn Mac Cool was a central character in Irish mythology who lead the warrior band, the Fianna.

Gearóid

Meaning brave with a spear or spear carrier. The name is associated with Gearóid Fitzgerald - leader of the most powerful Norman family in late medieval Ireland.

Maeve

Meaning the cause of great joy or she who intoxicates. Maewve was also the great warrior queen of Connacht.

Úna/Óonagh

This name comes from the Irish word uan, which means a lamb. It may also come from the Latin una meaning one. It's sometimes translated as unity. In Irish legend Oonagh was the Queen of the Fairies who had long golden hair.

Pádraig

Meaning nobly born - also the patron saint of Ireland, Patrick.

Peadar

The Irish of Peter, comes from the Greek word petros meaning the rock

Róisín

Comes from the Latin name Rosa meaning little rose.

Séamus

The Irish version of James.

Seán 

The Irish for John meaning God’s gracious gift.

Síle

Meaing pure and musical, this is the Irish form of the Latin name Cecilia, who is the patron saint of music.

Sinéad

Meaning God is gracious, this is the Irish of Jane.

Siobhán

The Irish form of Joan, also meaning God is gracious.

Daithí

An old Irish name meaning swiftness, nimbleness. Daithí was the last pagan king of Ireland.

Niamh

Meaning radiance, lustre and brightness.

Oisín

The son of the legendary warrior Fionn Mac Cool and the goddess Sive. Best remembered for loving Niamh of the Golden Hair with whom he spent 300 years in Tír na nÓg.

Saoirse

Meaning freedom or liberty.

For more about Irish names and what they mean go to babynamesofireland.com