Top Irish baby names in America
Looking for an Irish name? We've got them all here!
Published Monday, June 6, 2011, 7:12 AM
Updated Monday, June 6, 2011, 7:12 AM
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Most popular Irish girl's name: Brianna, meaning noble
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”
Cody: Anglicization of the Irish surname of Norman origin, Mac Óda, meaning “descendent of Otto”
Patrick: Ireland’s patron saint’s name which is Latin for “noble.” Padric is the Irish variant
Brayden: Anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Bradaoin, meaning “salmon”
Tristan: Celtic name whose meaning has been debated, but possibly means “tumult,” or “uproar”
Colin: Can be either an Anglicization of Coilean, an Irish name meaning “whelp,” or Cóilín, an Irish short form of Nicholas.
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
Liam: Shortened form of Uilliam, the Irish form of William, a Germanic name made of two words meaning “desire” and “protection”
Caden: Anglicization of the Irish surname MacAodháin, or possibly a name from the Irish name Cathán, meaning "battle"
Oscar: Anglicization of Osgar, meaning “deer lover”
Brady: A name meaning “spirited,” and an Anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Bradaigh
Alan: Anglicization of the Irish name Ailín, meaning “handsome”
Brendan: Anglicization of Breandán/Breannain, a major Irish saint, meaning “prince”
Nolan: Anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Nualláin from “nuall,” which means “nobleman”
Donovan: Celtic name meaning “strong fighter”
Corey: Anglicization of the Irish surname Mac Gothraidh, from a place name meaning “hill hollow”
Brody: Usually Scottish, this name can also be an Anglicization of the Irish surname Mac Bruaideadha, which comes from an Irish place name meaning “ditch”
Miles: Anglicization of “Maol,” the beginning of Irish names, meaning “devotee of (insert saint here)”
Griffin: Usually a Welsh name, but it can be an Anglicization of the Irish name Críofán or of the Irish surname Ó Gríobhtha, meaning “descendent of the griffin-like”
Keegan: Anglicization of the Irish surname Mac Aodhgáin, “Aodhagán” meaning “small and passionate,” or “fiery”
Brennan: Anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Braonáin, meaning “descendent of Braonáin.” “Braonáin” can mean “sorrow”
Quinn: Anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Cuinn, meaning “descendent of Conn.” “Conn” means “leader” or “chief”
Micheal: Irish form of Michael, meaning “Who is like God?”
Declan: Form of the name Deaglán, an Irish saints’ name of obscure meaning
Dorian: Although it is based on the name Dora, which has no Irish roots, the name was coined by Irish playwright Oscar Wilde for his book, “The Portrait of Dorian Gray”
Girls
Brianna: Modern feminine form of Brian, an Anglicization of the Irish name Brion, meaning “noble”
Kayla: Even though it’s probably a modern creation, it is similar to the Irish male name Cadhla, meaning “slender”
Anna: Typically considered a Latin name, but Ana is also an ancient Celtic goddess known as the “Wealth Provider”
Megan: Though technically not a Celtic name (it’s a Welsh pet form of Margaret), it’s similar to the Irish surname O’Meegan, meaning “descendent of the brave warrior”
Kaitlyn: American form of the Irish Caitlín (Irish version of Catherine)
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”
Alana: Feminine form of the name Alan, which means “handsome.” Also an Anglicization of “a leanbh, an Irish term of endearment meaning “O child”
Mckenna: Anglicization of the Irish surname MacCionnaith, interpreted as both “ardent love” and “firesprung”
Brenda: Feminine form of the Irish name Brendan, an Anglicization of the Irish saint Breandán/Breannain whose name means“prince”
Shannon: Area and river in Ireland that possibly means “little wise one”
Kara: Form of Cara, the Irish word for “friend”
Kira: Another Anglicization of Ciara, an Irish name meaning “dark”
Kathleen: Another Anglicization of the Irish Caitlín, a form of Catherine
Bridget: From the Irish name Brighid, meaning “exalted one.” St. Brigid is a patron saint of Ireland.
Patricia: This is the feminine form of Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint’s name which is Latin for “noble”
Shayla: Modern Anglicization of the Irish name Síle, meaning “blind.” Also Anglicized as “Sheila”
Tara: Anglicization of the old Irish name Teamhair, which means “eminence” or “distinction.” Also the name of the ancient hill in Co. Meath that was the center of pagan activity
Brenna: Modern feminine form of the name Brennan, an Anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Braonáin, that can mean “sorrow”
Logan: From the Irish surname O’Loughan, which is often mistranslated to mean “duck,” which is actually from the Gaelic word “lacha”
Fiona: An Irish name (spelled Fíona) pronounced as “Feena,” meaning “vine”
Ryan: Feminine Anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Ríain, meaning “descendent of the little king”
Aileen: Anglicization of the Irish name Aibhilín/Eibhilín, an Irish form of Evelyn or Helen which can mean “bright light”
7 Comments
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JakeKearns6 | Aug 14, 2011, 11:20 PM EDT
My wife and I named our daughter Faylinn, because we're both Irish, and where we are from its a very unique name.
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mollycolleen | Jun 30, 2011, 02:10 PM EDT
I suppose it is a problem choosing a name with a spelling such as Eoghan for a baby in America or else there will be much correcting to do. A friend with roots in Nenagh, Co. Tipperary has a granddaugher named Nenagh...rather than Nina. I think that is absolutely charming...lovely and just the right "twist."
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phinsman | Jun 07, 2011, 04:38 PM EDT
I am so happy that my parents gave me the name Peggy... an Irish name. Although, Peggy is no longer a common name in the US. Of all our heritage from Europe, I only feel connected to our Irish heritage.
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maireadinmelb | Jun 07, 2011, 06:37 AM EDT
Just a note that Sean is not a translation for John It is an irish name with no english equivalent. THE Irish of John is EOIN, the welsh being Owen and the scots being Ian.
Sean was so popular the invasion forces of the british crown believed it must be john. It is a common misconception but a gaelic speaker should be able to confirm.
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mamaginnty | Jun 06, 2011, 05:32 PM EDT
Manhattan, they were and still are in Ireland, but my grandaughter has true irish name Doreann, pronounced Dirran, but I think she will end up with a shorter name like Dirry or Derry. Derry... I really like it. In my extended family the younger ones are still called Eileen, Tommy, Kathleen Sheamus Sean J.P..James Patrick, J.J..John Joseph and of course Paddy and Mick or Mickie.
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manhattan | Jun 06, 2011, 03:05 PM EDT
When I was growing up it was,Patricia,Mary,Maureen,Kathleen,Margaret,Eileen. Boys were Eddy,Tommy,Jimmy etc. I still think the those names were the best.
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