Caoimhe (kwee-va or kee-va)
From the Gaelic word "caomh," this name means gentle, beautiful or precious.
Saoirse (ser-sha)
This name means "freedom" or "liberty." It has strong patriotic overtones and has only been in use since the 1920s.
Ciara (kee-ra)
The feminine form of Ciaran, this name comes from the Gaelic word "ciar," which means dark. It implies dark features, like hair or eyes. In history, St. Ciara was a distinguished figure who established a monastery in Co. Tipperary during the seventh century.
Niamh (neev or nee-iv)
Meaning radiance, luster or brightness. In Irish mythology, Niamh was the daughter of Manannan, the god of the sea - she was known as Niamh of the Golden Hair and was usually depicted riding on a white horse. She was the lover of poet-hero Oisin; together they lived in Tir-na-nOg, the land of eternal youth.
Roisin (ro-sheen)
This name means "little rose," and has been used in Ireland since the sixteenth century. When Irish patriotic poetry and song was outlawed in Ireland, Irish bands would disguise their nationalistic verses and love songs, and sing about Roisin Dubh ("Dark Rosaleen") as the poetic symbol for their country.
Cara
In Irish, Cara simply means "a friend."
Clodagh (cloda)
Named for the River Clodagh, or Clody River, which runs through Co. Tipperary and Co. Wexford. Like most Irish rivers, the name is associated with a female deity.
Aisling (ash-ling)
This name means "dream" or "vision" from the Gaelic word aislinge and refers to an aisling, which is a poetic genre of Irish language poetry from the late 17th century. It only started being used as a first name in the 20th century. The poetic genre has been personified in Ireland as a beautiful woman in peril.
Eabha (ey-va)
This is the Irish form of Eve (Adam and Eve are dhamh agus abha in Irish). It means life, but comes with all of the connotations of the name Eve, i.e. the mother of all the living.
Aoibhinn (ee-van or ay-veen)
This name means pleasant, beautiful sheen of radiant beauty. It was a common name for princesses among the royal families of Ireland that has been revived in recent years.
Aine (awn-ye)
This name comes from the noun aine, which means "radiance, splendor, brilliance." The name is connected to fruitfulness and prosperity. In Irish legend, Aine, the Queen of the Munster fairies, was one of the wives of Fionn MacCool.
Sadhbh (sive, sigh-v)
This name mean can either mean sweet and lovely, or wise.
Aoibheann (ay-veen)
This name means of pleasant, beautiful sheen or radiant beauty. It is often interpreted as a diminutive for the word Eve, or, little Eve.
Fiadh (fee-a)
Fiadh is an old Irish word meaning wild, in the sense of a wild animal. It comes from the word for "wildlife," fiadhrla.
Read more: Irish names that are most mispronounced in America
Aoibhe (ey-va)
This comes from the Gaelic word aoibh, which means beauty.
Laoise (lee-sha)
This means "radiant girl," and is often Anglicized as Louisa. It also refers to light.
Eimear (ee-mur)
This name means "swift." In the Irish legend, Eimear was the wife of warrior legend Cuchulainn, and was said to have possessed the six gifts of womanhood, which are beauty, a gentle voice, sweet words, wisdom, needlework, and chastity.
Orla
Also spelled Orlaith, this name means golden princess or golden sovereign in Irish. Both the sister and daughter of Brian Boru were named Orla.
Meabh (Maeve)
This name means intoxicating. In the Irish legend, Meabh was the warrior queen of Connacht.
Shauna
As the feminine form of the popular Irish boys name Sean, this name means God is gracious. The name can also mean present.
Shannon
This name means wise river. The Irish form is Sionainn and it has many spelling variations, but it comes from sion (wise) and abhainn (river).
Sinead (shin-ade)
This is the Irish form of the name Jane or Jeannette, and means God is gracious.
Grainne (grawn-ye)
From the Irish word gran, meaning grain or corn. In ancient Ireland, Grainne was the goddess of the grain or harvest. There is also a famous legendary Irish narrative, The pursuit of Diarmuid and Grainne, which is about the love triangle between Fionn MacCool, princess Grainne and Fianna member Diarmuid ODyna.
Kayleigh (kay-lee)
This name means "slim and fair" or "slender," deriving from the Gaelic word for slender, which is caol.
Fiona
This name means fair, white, beautiful. It is the feminine form of Fionn.
Emer (eemer)
This name means "swift." In the Irish legend, Eimear was the wife of warrior legend Cuchulainn, and was said to have possessed the six gifts of womanhood, which are beauty, a gentle voice, sweet words, wisdom, needlework and chastity.
Siobhan (shiv-on)
Siobhan is another form of the name Joan, and means God has been gracious or Gods grace. It can also mean full of charm.
Ailbhe (alva)
This name is likely derived from the Gaelic word "albho" which means white. In Irish legend, this was the name of a female warrior in the Fianna.
Mairead (mi-rade)
This is the Irish form of Margaret. It means pearl. |
