The country of Ireland has a long history behind it, and with that history, traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation. One of those traditions includes choosing a baby name for new members of the family.
Irish baby names are a popular trend, not just in Ireland, but throughout the world. Find the perfect name for your child by checking out our list of Irish baby names for your baby girl or baby boy.
Choosing a family name, specifically a grandparent name, continues to remain a strong tradition in many parts of Ireland. Older traditions included naming the first son after the father’s father and the second son after the mother’s father and so on. While many in Ireland may not follow a strict set of guidelines when it comes to naming a child after a family member, many want to include it somehow, whether in a first or middle name.History of Irish Baby NamesHistory of Irish Baby Names
Ireland’s immigrants have included everyone from the British to the French, Vikings, Celtics and others who came to their land. This influx of settlers brought with them their own unique names, languages and dialects. Many of the popular names you may hear today originated from more historic names, and may have been changed slightly or include a different spelling in today’s modern Ireland.
Faith and religion have also played a large role in shaping and changing Ireland, including Saint Patrick and other Christian missionaries. It’s no surprise that Biblical names continue to enjoy popularity among the Irish.
Irish Baby Name Trends
The Central Statistics Office of Ireland lists the following as top babies’ names for boys in 2007. According to the office, Jack and Sarah were the most popular babies’ names in 2007, ones which have remained close to the top for many years. By region, Jack is the most popular boys’ name in 2007 with the exception of Sean being most popular in Dublin.
Boys’ names that are growing in popularity from 2006-2007 for boys include Jayden, Louis, Edward, Lucas, Rhys, Ryan, Conor, Daniel, Jack, and Cillian. For the girls it was Brooke, Millie, Muireann, Maya, Sara, Ella, Kate, Ava, Emily and Lily.
Popular boys’ names including Jack, Sean, Conor and James have been popular in Ireland since the last 1990’s according to the report, and the name Daniel is new to the top five names for boys.
According to the report girls’ names have seen a bigger change in ranking and names. Girls’ names such as Emma and Sarah have stayed in the top 5 since the last ‘90’s, while names such as Katie and Sophie have made the list since in the last six years.
Top 25 Popular Irish Boys’ Names
Jack
Sean
Conor
Daniel
James
Adam
Ryan
Luke
Cian
Michael
Dylan
Aaron
Darragh
Thomas
Matthew
David
Jamie
Oisin
Patrick
Alex
John
Cillian
Evan
Eoin
Shane
Top 25 Popular Irish Girls’ Names
Sarah
Emma
Ella
Katie
Sophie
Ava
Aoife
Emily
Grace
Kate
Amy
Ciara
Hannah
Lucy
Chloe
Leah
Caoimhe
Niamh
Rachel
Anna
Jessica
Lauren
Molly
Mia
Rebecca
Read More:
Over 1500 Irish Baby Names and Meanings
Popular Baby Name Predictions 2009
Spiritual Baby Names
Article provided courtesy of BabyHold.com