There’s no doubt about it, Irish names are gaining momentum each year and some gorgeous Gaelic names are going international.

Liam has been the most popular name in the US for the past number of years and the gorgeous Maeve is gaining popularity thanks to mainstream media.

Oscar is always a popular choice for parents in the UK, as is Rory, the anglicised version of Ruairí. None of these is surprising, really; while they are all gorgeous Irish names, they don’t necessarily look like Irish names. Aka, they are easy to pronounce.

The Éabhas, Ríans, Caoimhes and Oisíns, while popular here in Ireland are just a tad too complicated to make waves outside of the Emerald Isle.

But one Irish name that is quite difficult for non-Irish speakers to spell and pronounce is actually rising in popularity in the UK.

According to Baby Centre, the name Tadhg has risen over 100 places in popularity over the past few years.

The moniker placed at number 293 in the UK charts, according to the most recently available statistics, which is a jump of 139 from the previous year.

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Meaning of the name Tadhg

The name Tadhg means "poet" or "storyteller", so could be a gorgeous name for parents with a love of the written word!

It is often said to be a variant of the Old Greek name Timotheus and is sometimes Anglicised as Thaddeus or Thomas. However, these names are not actually related.

Popularity

While it is rising in popularity in the UK, the name Tadhg is still on the rare side. However, it is a different story here in Ireland and is a favourite among Irish parents.

It usually makes the top 10, placing at number six in 2024, the most recent statistics available to us. Tadhg, which can also be spelt Tadgh or Tadg, was less popular throughout the 80s, 90s, and 00s, although it steadily rose and entered the top 20 in 2018.

However, historically, there was a time when the name was so common that it became a term used for the "everyman". "Tadhg na Sráide" was once a phrase used in a similar way to "the average Joe".

* This article was originally published on EveryMum.ie.