Most popular Irish Gaelic girls names

Irish Name

Pronounced

Explanation/Notes

1

Aoife

Ee-fah

Like the name Aoibheann, Aoife is a Gaelic girl's name which means beautiful. In Irish mythology Aoife was a warrior princess who fought and lost against the legendary Cúchulainn with whom she later became romantically entwined.

2

Ciara

Kee-rah

This Gaelic name comes from the word ciar meaning dark. The popular boy's name Ciarán comes from the same root. Saint Ciara was an Irish nun who established a monastery in County Tipperary in the 7th Century.

3

Caoimhe

Kwee-vah

This Gaelic girl's name means gentle, mild or precious. It actually comes from the same root as Kevin.

4

Niamh

Nee-av or Nee-iv

This popular Gaelic Irish name means brightness or radiant beauty. Niamh was the daughter of Manannan, a sea god in Irish mythology. Niamh was known for her bright golden hair and her striking white horse. She fell in love with Oisín, the son of Fionn, the leader of the great warrior band called the Fianna. Together with Oisín, they ran off to Tir-na-nÓg (Land of Eternal youth) for 300 years.

5

Saoirse

Seer-shah

This increasingly popular Irish name means freedom. It really originates from around the 1920's with Ireland's independence from Great Britain.The young actress Saoirse Ronan bears the name.

Born in 1994, Saoirse Ronan played a star role in the 2007 movie Atonenment and won an Academy award for Best Supporting Actress. Has since been in several other Hollywood films including the 2010 epic The Way Back -photo courtesy of bubbleleh

6

Molly

Moll-ee

This is an Irish diminutive of the popular name MARY which has been used for hundreds of years. One of the principal characters in James Joyce' novel Ulysses was Molly Bloom. De Danann, an Irish traditional group had a big hit with the song My Irish Molly in the 1980's.

7

Róisín

Roh-sheen

This Gaelic girls name means little rose and it has been used in Ireland for centuries. For a period in Ireland's history patriotic Irish poetry was forbidden and poets disguised their patriotic sentiments in the form of love poems and songs for Róisín Dubh (Dark Rosaleen).

Róisín Dubh-The Black Rose pub and restaurant in Boston. A popular spot and a name of historical significance-photo courtesy of reynold.james.e

8

Megan

Meg-an

Though often considered an Irish name, this name is actually from another Celtic country, Wales. It is a shortened version of the name Margaret.

9

Clodagh

Cloh-dah

This popular Irish name comes from the name of the river Clody whose source is in County Tipperary. The river itself gets its name from that of a local female God.

10

Erin

Err-in

Erin is an anglicized version of the words Éirinn or Éire. Erin is the female personification of Ireland. For many years Erin was a popular name among the Irish diaspora, in the US in particular, but it has now also become a very popular name at home in Ireland.

11

Aisling

Ash-ling

The female Gaelic name Aisling or Ashling means a vision or a dream. Aisling poetry in the 17th and 18th century personified Ireland as a beautiful woman in danger and imagined a better future for her.

12

Áine

Awn-yeh

Often used as a translation for Anne, the Gaelic name Áine means cheerfulness or happiness. Áine was one of the wives of Fionn Mac Cumhail, leader of the legendary Fianna warrior band. She is associated with prosperity and being lucky in love.

13

Tara

Ta-rah

Tara, near Dublin, was the sacred hill where Irish high kings resided. Tara means elevated place.

14

Caitlín

Kat-leen or
Kate-lin

This Gaelic girls name means pure and is of French and Greek origin. It comes from the old French name Katherine which itself is derived from the Greek name Aikaterine. Traditionally the name was pronounced Kat-leen or Kath-leen but its pronunciation as Kate-lin has become increasingly popular in Ireland.

15

Éabha

Aye-va

This Gaelic name is a translation of English and Latin names, Eve and Eva respectively. Eve/Eva is derived form a Hebrew word meaning to breathe/to live. According to the Bible, Eve and Adam were the first humans beings. She tempted Adam with the forbidden fruit and they were thrown out of the Garden of Eden. In spite of that, it's still a very popular name!

16

Cara

Cah-rah

This Gaelic name comes from the Irish word for friend. Indeed when writing a letter in Gaelic Irish, it is common still to begin with A chara which can be translated as 'Dear Friend'. The word cara itself is related to the Latin word caro which means dear/beloved.

17

Mary

Mare-ee

While not a Gaelic name itself, this name has been such a popular Irish name, that it cannot be omitted from this list. The name is Latin in Origin meaning 'Star of the Sea'. The Virgin Mary was worshipped greatly in the Catholic Church and in Ireland in particular, devotion was enormous. A popular Gaelic form of the name is Máire pronounced Maw-reh.

18

Ee-vah

Aoibhinn and Aoibheann are all derived from the word Aoibh meaning radiant beauty.

19

Aoibhinn

Ee-vin

See Aoibhe above

20

Orl-ah

This Gaelic girls name also exists in its older form Órfhlaith or Orlaith and means golden princess. The Irish word for gold is ór and is of Latin Origin. One of the sisters of Brian Boru, the last High King of Ireland, bore the name.

Orla Guerin is a well-known Dublin born news journalist with the BBC.

21

Sadhbh

Sive

This Gaelic name means- wise or sweet.

22

Eimear

Ee-mar

Eimear was in Irish folklore, in possession of the six gifts of womanhood-beauty, a gentle voice, kind words, wisdom, needlework and chastity. She was the wife of the great hero Cúchulainn who wasn't exactly loyal to her.

23

Aoibheann

Ee-vin

See Aoibhe

24

Sinéad

Shin-aid

This common Gaelic name is a variant of the the names Janet or Jane which themselves come from the male name John. It means 'God is gracious'The singer Sinéad O Connor bears the name.

Singer Sinéad O Connor is known for her striking looks and wonderful voice-photo courtesy of cinetech

25

Maeve

Mayve

This Gaelic name also exists in the forms Maebh and Maedbh. It means the 'source of great joy' or 'she who entrances' She was the legendary warrior queen of Connacht (West of Ireland). She quarreled with her lover Ailill in the great story of An Táin Bó Cúalnge (The Cattle-Raid of Cooley) over who had the most possessions.

26

Orlaith

Orl-ah

See Orla

27

Shannon

Sha-non

The river Shannon is Ireland's largest river and. The name comes from the word sean (pronounced shan) which means old or ancient and abhainn (pronounced ow-en) which means river. Like the name Erin, the name was more popular in the USA than in Ireland for years. However, both names are now popular both in Ireland and abroad.