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Top Irish baby names in America

Looking for an Irish name? We've got them all here!

ANTOINETTE KELLY,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Sunday, December 26, 2010, 9:04 AM

Updated Sunday, December 26, 2010, 9:04 AM

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"Ryan" is the most popular Irish-inspired boy's name in the U.S.

Aidan, Brayden, Colin, Riley; Kayla, Morgan, Megan, Kaitlyn - you've probably come across a newborn in the past decade with at least one of these names.

What do they all have in common? These top names in the U.S. all have Irish roots!

For example, the trendy name "Aidan" is the Anglicization of the Gaelic word Aodhán, meaning "little fire," while "Kayla" is a modern creation inspired by the Irish man’s name Cadhla, meaning "slender."

If you're an expectant parent looking for an Irish name, or you just want to figure out what your own means, you've come to the right place.

We've done all the hard work of gathering the top Irish names in America into one place. All you have to do is sit back and choose one, or two...

Boys

Ryan: Anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Ríain, meaning "descendent of the little king"
Brandon: Anglicization of Breanainn, which possibly means "sword.” Also an English surname meaning “hill top”
Logan: From the Irish surname O’Loughan, which is often mistranslated to mean “duck,” which is actually from the Gaelic word “lacha”
Austin: Anglicization of the name Aghaistín, the Irish form of Augustine, a Latin name meaning “great” or “magnificent”
Kevin: Anglicization of the Irish name Caoimhín, meaning “beautiful birth”
Connor: Modern form of the Irish name Conchobhar, meaning “dog lover.” Usually spelled Conor in Ireland
Kyle: Anglicization of the Irish word “coil” meaning “woods.” More commonly used in Scotland, where it is from a place name meaning "narrow.”
Aidan: Anglicization of Aodhán, meaning “little fire”
Brian: Anglicization of the Irish name Brion, meaning “noble”
Sean: Irish form of John, which means “gift from God”
Owen: Usually a Welsh name. It can be an Anglicization of the Irish names Eoin (form of John) and Eoghan, meaning “born of the yew”

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53 Comments

15 - 53 | See all comments

CitizenWhy | Jan 14, 2011, 07:16 PM EST

America or Columbia would be a lovely name in Ireland. After Columbus did set out from Galway. ... Perhaps Zealandia and Australiana too. Canbada not so much but Torontina would be nice.

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seagreen | Jan 02, 2011, 10:42 AM EST

In America, if the kids do not back away from the cheeseburgers, the new names for girls will be Blivia, Flouncette, and Tonla, and the boys Girth,Tankster,and Chubber.

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WoundedKnee | Dec 28, 2010, 08:45 AM EST

I hear that Beyonce was the most popular girl's name in Ireland this past year.

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Searlit | Dec 27, 2010, 06:38 PM EST

I think Beth is a biblical name.

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mclemens | Dec 27, 2010, 07:36 AM EST

My grandson is named Finnegan and since the introduction of the show "Glee", Finn is becoming popular.

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jacersisityourself | Aug 26, 2010, 10:57 PM EDT

(Cont’d..) Next, you have the historical situation of an uneducated, entrepreneurial employer, desperate to get business for high profits and workers for little pay, hurriedly asking you, out of a massively long queue of ppl “Where’s yr papers?” and “What’s yr name?” – You’d have produced a piece of paper, one you weren’t able to read anymore than the official was able to, saying yr name was ‘Molly Maguire’ or ‘Joseph Smith’ or ‘Mary O’Bannion’ or (God! - forgive me the laugh!) Father Barak O’Bamma. You’d have been signed on for America’s cause, no matter how yr name was spelt or mis-spelled. That was back then. Now it’;s time for America to get real in its own land. Speelings and mis-spellings are no longer acceptable, whether eireannfaerie or any one accepts that. Pls don’t get back to me about the WoundedKnee stuff – I totally and completely recognise it (Big Hiccup! – a very big one that). If I had been named by a True American Indian man on the first sight he as a father saw when I was born in Dublin, I might have been called “Theairmellssogoodwudntyesayjacersisityourselfisalrightinthegodsnothiccup.” I stick w/ jacers and w/no faeries and always thankful to be privileged to have a pittance of a knowledge of God, through His human Son, Jesus, His mother Marryemah and His Apostles in my life today. I encourage you to get out of a long suffering ignorance and find simplicity of smells so good that make sure you crap the rest.

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jacersisityourself | Aug 26, 2010, 10:19 PM EDT

eireannfaerie on Jul 21, 2010, 08:26pm is right. Erin is not a name used as a first- or second-name in Ireland. What you have to do is - imagine yourself being the person who was yr American forbearer, a decrepit or rich person arriving off ships in a land called America, from different countries from around the world during the founding years by those people of what are now known as the US’ and Canada’s nation (pardon a hiccup on that). One of the first questions the French or English “immigration officials” (depending on which port you arrived in) would shout is “Name?” or “Nomine?” and you might, as a frightened fearful person, without invitation to a Tea Party, might have or would have instantly answered in your own native tongue’s name (in this case Irish, as also would have happened in Germanic, Jewish, Italian, Swedish etc., or, more recently, Islamic names, to mention a few). Not knowing the official’s language, you might’ve said - “Éireann” or “Rionn” or O’Gowan (or any other real name in yr own ‘foreign’ language to those ‘officials). So all the early immigrant-receiving officials recorded were what sounded like a name and gave you a piece of paper that said your name was ‘Erin’ or “Ryan” or “Ohgowanyourself” (the smarty-pants officials would’ve heard that name before and said “I know that name, you’re Smith!” (ET CETERA!). That was the name you were stuck with - the ‘immigrant official’s” paper which just might last through yr wind-swept hands or wagon and which you and the next official most likely couldn’t read anyway. So ‘Soundings’ of name became the norm as a first name. Many people who built America, thoe who bulit it's rail networks or signed up to the American Civil War’s North or South armies were employed under the first name they gave to the officials. (More...)

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jacersisityourself | Aug 22, 2010, 06:58 PM EDT

kschowal – Yes, Siobhán is a beautiful sounding Irish name, used to be a fave of mine but now I would never be brave enough to call a daughter that, ever since a German lady asked me at a party how does one pronounce the name. I said like as in ‘Shove on”. A wisecracking man chatting with us said “Yeah, like as in ‘The young fella said "Quick, quick Siobhán! your knickers! Your mother’s coming!”. It’s just not the same nice name since.

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kschowal | Aug 15, 2010, 02:40 PM EDT

Siobhan is the most beautiful of the Irish girl's names. When I was 12 years old I herd that name and decided if I ever had a daughter I would name her Siobhan. I did and I did.

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eireannfaerie | Jul 21, 2010, 08:26 PM EDT

As far as i know erin is not a name they use in ireland but was very popular in the US especially in the early 1980s. But its origins are irish but not as a name

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WoundedKnee | Jul 10, 2010, 07:40 PM EDT

George, you forget that the so-called TD could be a member of the Northern ireland Assembly. So I checked out the members, and there's none called "Burn". So I'd say it's time to stop humoring this particular troll Marlow/Yeats--he's a liar. He'll keep wasting our time if we let him.

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GeorgeDillon | Jul 09, 2010, 03:59 PM EDT

Marlow/Yeats: "I'm an englishman and have no problem with the Irish" GEE! We're honored. Our most humble thanks, English sire. Your English lordship has "no problem" with the Irish. That's so reassuring... Now kiss my ass.

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GeorgeDillon | Jul 09, 2010, 01:56 PM EDT

Yeats: "my own TD (political representative) has the surname..." But in the same post you say your children go to school in Belfast? Aren't you lying? TDs are South of the Border, in Belfast it would be an MP or MEP. Are you telling us you live in the South but send your children minimum of 40 miles each way every day to a school in Belfast. I think the other guys are wasting their time debating with a Liar. I suspect you're English.

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Marlow87 | Jul 09, 2010, 10:41 AM EDT

George Davis wrote: I note that on another story on this site we read that the Irish are now calling their babies names like Lady Gaga and Brad Pitt. Great to see the old Irish culture so vibrant, Yeats! What would you call your daughter, Yeats? Beyonce Yeats? I read this thread and believe woundedknee and George to be the same person. Which is pathetic. I'm an englishman and have no problem with the Irish, enjoy the time I spend there. Unfortunatley there is more chance of children here being called beyonce or gaga. Cringe!

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Yeats1706 | Jul 09, 2010, 07:14 AM EDT

George & WoundedKnee, I'm off on holidays for a few weeks. Try not to miss me too much. Enjoy your respective breaks (if indeed that's something you do). Slán go fóill mo chara.

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