This "queenly" Irish name was given to less than three babies last year

Parents at home and abroad have a special place in their hearts for Irish names, and we think this adorable choice for a baby girl should be no exception!

Only given to less than three baby girls (a name needs to be used more than three times to appear on charts) last year in Ireland, according to the CSO [Central Statistics Office], Ríoghnach was used five times and ranked in at the 625th spot on the charts in 2023.

Pronounced ree-uh-nah or ree-uh-knock, this lovely Irish baby name means "queenly" and comes from the old Irish word for queen.

Steeped in folklore, Ríonach is said to be the wife of one of the first High Kings and the name may find its origins in another beautiful Irish moniker – Catríona.

Alternate spelling Ríonach was also given to less than three baby girls last year while Ríona was ranked 142 of all baby girl names recorded in Ireland, with 33 little Ríonas born.

While Ríoghnach has never reached the top 100 in the country, since records began in 1964, there are some famous faces who bare name out there including Rioghnach Ni Ghrioghair, a film director and Ríoghnach Connolly, a traditional sean nós singer.

* This article was originally published on Extra.ie.