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Top Irish baby names in America

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


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

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Makayla: Another modern creation possibly stemming from the Irish man’s name “Cadhla,” meaning slender

  • Kaylee: This name is a modern invention based on the names Kay and Lee, but it also sounds like “céilí,” the Irish word for a gathering

  • Kylie: Usually considered an Australian Aboriginal name meaning “boomerang,” but like the name Kayla, it’s also a form of Kiley, an Anglicization of the Irish name Cadhla, meaning “slender”

  • Riley: Riley is an English surname meaning “rye field” or an Anglicization of the Irish surname O’Reilly, or Ó Raghaillaigh, meaning from “descendent of Raghaillaigh,” an Irish chieftan

  • Erin: A poetic name for Ireland. The name is not usually used in Ireland, but it’s recently gained in popularity in the North

  • Claire: This is a French name meaning “clear,” but “Clare,” an alternate spelling, is a county in Ireland

  • Molly: Irish pet form of Mary, or Mallaidh in Irish, that means “star of the sea”

  • Kennedy: Anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Cinnéide, meaning “helmet head”

  • Kelly: Anglicization of the Irish surname “Ó Ceallaigh,” which possibly means “brave warrior”

  • Cassidy: Anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Casaide, which hasan obscure meaning but may translate to “clever” or “curly-headed”

  • Ashlyn: Anglicization of the Irish name Aislinn (or Aisling), meaning “dream” or “vision”

  • Kiara: Form of Ciara, pronounced “KEE a ra,” an Irish name meaning “dark.” Often pronounced “see-Ahr-a” in the U.S.

  • Reagan: Anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Ríagáin, which comes from “sovereign” or “king”

  • Delaney: Anglicization of the Irish surname “Ó Dubhshláine, meaning “descendant of the dark-haired man of the River Slaney


    Nster.com


  • 53 Comments

    15 - 53 | See all comments

    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.
    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.
    I hear that Beyonce was the most popular girl's name in Ireland this past year.
    I think Beth is a biblical name.
    My grandson is named Finnegan and since the introduction of the show "Glee", Finn is becoming popular.
    (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.
    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...)
    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.
    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.
    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
    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.
    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.
    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.
    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!
    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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