56 Irish Girl Names, Their Meanings + Pronunciations

Irish girl names have made their way around the globe, from Killarney to California and everywhere in between.

While some Irish names for girls, like ‘Aisling’, are fairly common, others, like ‘Cliodhna’, remain delightfully rare.

Below, you’ll discover a blend of traditional Irish names, steeped in ancient history, and more contemporary options with their meanings and pronunciations.

Popular Irish girl names

Over the centuries many Irish people emigrated (most notable during the Famine), carrying Irish boys names, Gaelic girl names and Irish last names across the globe.

The first section below is backed with the most popular Irish names for girls, like Eimear, Róisín and Fiona.

1. Aine

Aine is arguably one of the best-known traditional Irish girls names and, interestingly enough, it stems from Irish mythology and a very powerful Goddess.

The name Aine, which means radiance, is the name of an Irish Celtic goddess who represents both wealth and summer.

• Pronunciation: Awn-yah
• Meaning: Brightness, radiance or joy

2. Fiona

The name Fiona is another popular one, and you’ll see it pop up in movies (remember Shrek… or, eh, maybe don’t!).

Despite having Scottish and Gaelic origins, the name Fiona has become popular all over the world and is said to mean ‘White’ or ‘Fair’.

• Pronunciation: Fee-oh-na
• Meaning: From the Gaelic word ‘Fionn’ meaning white or fair

3. Aisling

Aisling is one of several Irish baby girl names that has numerous different spellings (Ashling, Ashlynn and Aislinn) and it was a name given to a poetic genre from the late 17th and early 18th centuries in Ireland.

Despite being one of the most popular Irish girls names over the last number of decades, the name Aisling wasn’t actually used as a first name until the 20th century.

• Pronunciation: Ash-ling
• Meaning: From the Irish-Gaelic word “aislinge” which means dream or vision

4. Kayleigh

This name Kayleigh both reads and sounds very Irish. However, there is some dispute online over whether it’s origins are in Ireland.

Kayleigh in Irish is Caoileann, which means ‘Fair and lender’. This also has plenty of variations in spelling from Kayley to Kaylee and has become a popular girls’ name around the world.

• Pronunciation: Kay-lee
• Meaning: From the Irish name Caoileann which means ‘Fair, beautiful and slender’

5. Deirdre

Deirdre is one of many Irish girl names in this guide that you hear less and less of these days. It’s origin all begins with a tale from Irish folklore.

Dierdre of the Sorrows who passed tragically after her lover was taken from her. Despite the tragic tale, it’s still somehow emerged as a popular name in Ireland.

• Pronunciation: Deer-drah
• Meaning: ‘Sorrowful’, ‘Raging’ or ‘Fear’

6. Orla

Orla, which means ‘Golden princess’, is arguably one of the most popular Irish names. It’s easy to pronounce (for most) and it has a close link with Brian Boru – the High King of Ireland.

Boru’s sister was called Órlaith íngen Cennétig and she was queen to another Irish High King – Donnchad Donn. It was one of the most common names back in the 12th century and had a more recent revival in the late 20th century. 

• Pronunciation: Or-lah
• Meaning: The original form of the name is Orfhlaith which translates to ‘Golden princess’ in Gaelic

7. Róisín

Róisín is arguably one of the most beautiful Irish baby girl names and it has been popular since the 16th century thanks to a famous love song called “Róisín Dubh” (there’s also a pub in Galway of the same name).

Although the name can be tricky for some to pronounce, this is a name steeped in Irishness and its meaning, ‘Little rose’, is one of the reasons it’s a popular Irish girls name amongst new parents.

• Pronunciation: Ro-sheen
• Meaning: ‘Little rose’ in Gaelic

8. Caragh

Caragh is a popular name that is considered to be a variant to the more commonly known name outside of Ireland, ‘Cara’.

Believed to mean either ‘Beloved’ or ‘Friend’, the name Caragh has a gorgeous Irish twang to it. Go on – say it out loud and you’ll see what I mean!

• Pronunciation: Car-ah
• Meaning: ‘Beloved’ or ‘Friend’

9. Eimear

The name Eimear, like several classic Irish girl names, has origins in Irish folklore. It is thought that it is a variant of Emer, the wife of the hero Cu Chulainn.

She was said to possess the six gifts of womanhood: beauty, a gentle voice, speech, skill in needlework, wisdom and chastity.

• Pronunciation: Ee-mer
• Meaning: From the Irish word ‘Eimh’ which means ‘Swift’ or ‘Ready’

10. Laoise

Laoise is the feminine version of the mythological names Lugh and Lugus.

It’s one of the most mispronounced names for those who are unfamiliar with Gaelic words.

• Pronunciation: Lah-weese
• Meaning: ‘Radiant’

11. Riona

Riona is one of the more traditional Irish baby girl names and it’s believed to be a variant on the name ‘Rionach’. There’s a bit of ‘greyness’ around where this name comes from.

Some sources online says that Rionach was a wife of Niall of the Nine Hostages, but further research leads us to believe that wasn’t the case, so be wary of any meanings for this name you find online.

• Pronunciation: Ree-ona
• Meaning: ‘Queenly’ or ‘Queen-like’

The Most Beautiful Irish Names For Girls

Below, you’ll discover some of the most beautiful Irish female names. These are popular names that people sometimes find hard to pronounce.

This section contains the likes of Aoibheann, Ailbhe, Clodagh along with some very traditional Irish baby girl names.

1. Saoirse

Ah, Saoirse, the name that people tend to butcher the most! This unique name became popular in Ireland in the 1920s and means ‘Liberty’ and ‘Freedom’.

The famous Irish American actress Saoirse Ronan has certainly helped the name gain popularity and clarity around its otherwise difficult pronunciation to people outside of Ireland.

• Pronunciation: Seer-sha or sur-sha
• Meaning: ‘Freedom’

2. Caoimhe

Caoimhe is a very popular Irish girls name and it is said to mean ‘Beautiful’, ‘Dear’, ‘Gentle’ and ‘Graceful’. It’s also the name of an Irish saint and is closely related to the boy’s name ‘Caoimhim’.

Interestingly enough, the name ‘Caoimhe’ was ranked 19th in a collection of the most popular Irish bay girl names in Ireland in 2014.

• Pronunciation: Kwee-vaah
• Meaning: ‘Beautiful’, ‘Dear’, ‘Gentle’ and ‘Graceful’

3. Treasa

Treasa has ties to several different countries. It also has a plethora of different spellings.

This is an old name that is often considered to be the Irish version of ‘Teresa’, which is a popular English name.

• Pronunciation: Tre-sah
• Meaning: ‘Strength’ or ‘Intensity’ in Gaelic

4. Cara

Cara is one of the traditional Irish female names and it means ‘Friend’ in Irish. One of the simpler Irish names to pronounce, Cara has a range of origins from Latin and Greek to Celtic.

In Latin it means ‘Darling’, ‘Loved one’ and ‘Beloved’, so regardless of origin, it has a some lovely tones attached to it.

• Pronunciation: Kar-ah
• Meaning: ‘Friend’

5. Clodagh

This name became popular in the 20th century after Lady Clodagh Anson was named after the River Clodagh that flows in County Waterford and Tipperary.

This is one of many Irish baby girl names that you don’t really see outside of Ireland. However, you do see it from time-to-time the US.

• Pronunciation: Clo-dah
• Meaning: Unknown

6. Ailbhe

The name Ailbhe name has been used as both a male and female name over time, although now it’s considered mostly an Irish girls name.

This is another very pretty name that has a lovely Irish twang to it when pronounced correctly (al-vah).

• Pronunciation: Al-vah
• Meaning: ‘White’, ‘Bright’ and ‘Noble’

7. Aoibheann

The name ‘Aoibheann’ comes from the name ‘Óebfinn’ (if you can pronounce that, fair play to you!). Óebfinn means ‘Beautiful’ and ‘Fair’ (Óeb is ‘Beauty’ and Finn means ‘Fair’).

While this is often seen as one of the more modern Irish baby girl names, it has close ties to the name Enda, which has been around for many a year (Enda of Aran passed in c.530).

• Pronunciation: Aey-veen
• Meaning: ‘Beautiful’ and ‘Fair’

8. Niamh

This is one of the most popular Irish baby girl names in Ireland and its origin goes back to Irish mythology. Niamh was the daughter of the God of the Sea and lover of the poet Oisin.

She was often referred to as ‘Niamh of the Golden Hair’, which relates to the name’s meaning (yep, another one that means ‘Radiant’).

• Pronunciation: Kneev
• Meaning: ‘Radiance’ or ‘Brightness’

9. Ciara

Ciara isn’t just a popular name here in Ireland, it’s also used across the world and pronounced in a multitude of ways.

The name ‘Ciara’ is the female version of the boys name ‘Ciaran’, which means ‘Dark haired’. You’ll also see it spelled ‘Keira’.

• Pronunciation: Keer-ah
• Meaning: ‘Dark haired’

10. Aoife

While Aoife is one of the more common Irish girl names, it’s one of the most beautiful (it’s also handy enough to pronounce, for most).

In Irish mythology, Aoife was a warrior and lover of Cuchulainn. The name is closely related in meaning to several others including, ‘Aoibheann’ and ‘Aoibhe’.

• Pronunciation: Ee-fa
• Meaning: ‘Radiance’ and ‘Beauty’

Unique Irish Girl Names

The next section of tackles some of the more unusual Irish names for girls – and there’s plenty of them!

Many of the names below are often regarded as traditional Irish girls names, but each is also beautifully unique (and some are a little unusual).

1. Fiadh

Fiadh (‘Fee-ahh’) really is a stunner of a name. And, interestingly enough, last year, this was the 3rd most popular Irish girls name according to the Central Stastics Office in Ireland.

It’s meaning (‘Wild’ or ‘Wildness’) also gives it a nice edge.

• Pronunciation: Fee-ahh
• Meaning: ‘Deer’, ‘Wild’ and ‘Respect’

2. Aoibhe

Aoibhe is one of many names that has numerous variations (‘Eva’ or ‘Ava’ outside of Ireland) and it’s beautiful to both read and hear spoken. Getting an accurate meaning for ‘Aoibhe’ has been tricky, as many online sources contradict each other.

Often, you’ll hear people say that ‘Aoibhe’ means ‘Beauty’, which is what the similar sounding name ‘Aoife’ means. Others say it means ‘Life’, as this is what ‘Eva’ means.

• Pronunciation: Ee-vah or Ave-ah, depending on the person
• Meaning: ‘Beauty’ or ‘Life’

3. Cadhla

Cadhla. You’d be doing well to say that aloud 10 times quickly! ‘Cadhla’ really is one of the more unique Irish baby girl names and it’s very easy to pronounce (‘Kay-La’).

You’ll often see ‘Cadhla’ Anglicised as ‘Keely’ or ‘Kayla’, but we’re partial to the spelling ‘Cadhla’, as it really is beautiful… the name also means ‘Beautiful’, funnily enough!

• Pronunciation: Kay-la
• Meaning: ‘Beautiful’ or ‘Graceful’

4. Cliodhna

If you’re fond of Irish mythology, you’ll know that Cliodhna is a member of the Tuatha De Dannan tribe of warriors. There’s also a Goddess of Love called ‘Cliodhna’.

The most accurate meaning behind the name ‘Cliodhna’ that we could find was ‘Shapely’, which is a bit random, considering its links to such fierce warriors.

• Pronunciation: Klee-ow-na
• Meaning: ‘Shapely’

5. Blathnaid

‘Blathnaid‘ (‘Blah-nid’) is one of the old Irish girl names that remains popular to this day, and that has close ties to Irish folklore.

There is a tale of a woman called Blathnaid that ends up being the reluctant wide of Curai Mac Daire. She was rescued from the fortress by her true love, Cu Chulainn.

• Pronunciation: Blah-nid
• Meaning: From the word ‘Blathl which means ‘Flower’ or ‘Blossom’

6. Eabha

Eabha is one of the more unique Irish female names and it’s pronounced (‘A-vah’). This name has an often confusing origin.

Despite being pronounced as ‘Ava’, it’s believed to actually stem from the name ‘Eve’ which means ‘Life’. It’s closely related to other Irish girls names, ‘Aoife’ and ‘Aoibhe’.

• Pronunciation: ‘A-vah’
• Meaning: From the Irish word for ‘Life’ or ‘Living’

7. Sile

Sile is one of the more traditional Irish female names and is commonly spelt ‘Sheila’ in both Ireland and abroad.

It’s widely believed that the name ‘Sile’ is the Irish version of the Latin name ‘Caelia’, which means ‘Heavenly’.

• Pronunciation: ‘She-lah’
• Meaning: The Irish version of ‘Caelia’, a Latin name that means ‘Heavenly’ or ‘Heaven’

8. Dearbhla

Dearbhla was a common medieval name and it is a Gaelic hybrid of the names ‘Deirbhile’ and ‘Dearbhail’.

This is a name that could be good for a family of musicians, as ‘Dearbhla’ is said to mean ‘Daughter of the poet’. The three spellings above are still commonly used in Ireland today.

• Pronunciation: ‘Derv-la’
• Meaning: From the word ‘Deirbhile’ which means ‘Daughter of the poet’

9. Bebhinn

If you’re looking at the name above and thinking ‘Hooooow would you go about saying that?!’, you’re likely not the only one.

Bebhinn is one of countless Irish baby girl names that’s tricky to pronounce for the first time. According to Irish myth, Bebhinn was a goddess associated with birth, while others suggest that she was an underworld goddess.

• Pronunciation: ‘Bay-veen’
• Meaning: ‘Melodious’ or ‘Pleasant sounding woman’

10. Sadhbh

Sadhbh is an is one of the older Irish female names and it’s one, like Bebhinn, that we’ve seen pop up in both mythology and history… in the form of princesses.

There were several real and legendary Irish princesses have had the name ‘Sadhbh’ and it means ‘Goodness’ or, literally, ‘Sweet and lovely lady’.

• Pronunciation: ‘Sigh-ve’
• Meaning: ‘Goodness’ or, literally, ‘Sweet and lovely lady’.

11. Muireann

The name ‘Muireann’ is another of several first names that’s steeped in legend, and its lovely meaning (‘Of the sea’) tells the tale of a mysterious mermaid.

The story goes that the mermaid bumped into a Saint (at sea, we presume!) who turned her into a woman. This could be a fitting name for those living near the ocean.

• Pronunciation: ‘Mwur-in’
• Meaning: ‘Of the sea’

12. Aoibhinn

It’s the meanings behind this next Irish girls name, ‘Aoibhinn’, that makes it so popular amongst parents-to-be.

In Irish, ‘Aoibhinn’ means ‘Delightful’ and/or ‘Blissful’. While in Scottish Gaelic, it means ‘pleasant, agreeable, delightful’.

• Pronunciation: ‘Ay-veen’
• Meaning: ‘Delightful’ and/or ‘Blissful’ in Irish

Traditional Irish Baby Girl Names

The third section tackles some traditional Irish girls names. Some of these, like ‘Gobnait’, you tend to hear less and less these days.

While others, like ‘Deirbhile’, are still as popular as ever. Below, you’ll find the pronunciations and meanings behind these traditional and very pretty Irish girls names.

1. Blaithin

Although you’ll here ‘Blaithin’ often enough while travelling around Ireland, this is one of several old Irish girl names that you rarely hear abroad.

It’s the meaning behind the name ‘Blaithin’ that makes it so popular amongst new parents – ‘Little Flower’.

• Pronunciation: ‘Blah-hin’
• Meaning: Little flower

2. Deirbhile

Deirbhile is a variation of the names ‘Dearbhla’ and ‘Dearbhail’, and it’s a beautiful name when pronounced correctly (‘Derv-la’ or ‘Der-vil’).

This is another name that may suit a musical family, as ‘Deirbhile’ is said to mean ‘The daughter of the poet’.

• Pronunciation: ‘Derv-la’ or ‘Der-vil’
• Meaning: It means ‘Daughter of the poet’

3. Doireann

This traditional name comes up numerous times in Irish legends. It was the name of the daughter of Bodb Derg who poisoned Fionn mac Cumhail.

Despite its dark origin and meaning, it has been one of the more popular Irish female names, and it’s said to mean ‘Stormy’ or ‘Hostile’.

• Pronunciation: ‘Deer-in’
• Meaning: ‘Stormy’ or ‘Hostile’

4. Eadan

The very unique first name ‘Eadan’ is a bit of a funny one. It has several variations, and it can be given to both boys and girls.

For boys, it’s usually a variation, like ‘Aidan’ or ‘Eamon’, while for girls, you’ll often see ‘Eadan’ or ‘Etain’ used.

If we take the ‘Aidan’ variation, this name loosely means ‘Little Fire’, while the name ‘Etain’ means ‘Jealously’… I think I’d lean towards the former!

• Pronunciation: ‘Ee-din’
• Meaning: ‘Little Fire’ or ‘Jealously’, depending on the variation

5. Etain

‘Etaine‘ was the hero of Tochmarc Etain. The princess in Rutland Boughton’s opera, ‘The Immortal Hour’, is also called ‘Etain’.

This is one of several names that you hear less and less these days, but it has a beautiful sound to it (even if the meaning is a bit unclear).

• Pronunciation: ‘Ee-tane’
• Meaning: It’s believed to mean ‘Passion’ or ‘Jealousy’

6. Gobnait

Although the name ‘Gobnait’ has an obscure origin, it’s one that was very popular for a long period of time in Ireland, thanks to Saint Gobnait.

Although easily pronounced (‘Gub-nit’), this is one of many Irish female names with a meaning that is unclear. Some believe it means ‘Little smith’, as ‘Goba’ translates to ‘Smith’, while others believe it means ‘To bring joy’.

• Pronunciation: ‘Gub-nit’
• Meaning: ‘To bring joy’

7. Grainne

Ah, ‘Grainne‘ – this is one of several classic Irish girls names names with an almost endless number of tales, myths and legends tied to it.

The name ‘Grainne’ appears countless times throughout Irish history and legend. In Irish mythology, Grainne was the daughter of the legendary High King, Cormac mac Airt.

• Pronunciation: Grawn-yah
• Meaning: From the word ‘Ghrian’, which means ‘The Sun’

8. Liobhan

Liobhan is another of the more traditional Irish female names that stems from Irish mythology. It’s believed that ‘Liobhan’ is a variation of the name ‘Li Ban’.

If you’re familiar with Irish legends, you’ll know that ‘Li Ban’ was the name of a mysterious mermaid who was found in the waters of Lough Neagh in 558.

• Pronunciation: ‘Lee-vin’
• Meaning: ‘Beauty of women’ or, more simply, ‘Beautiful’

9. Muirgheal

‘Muirgheal‘ (‘Mwer-e-yaal’) is considered to be the Irish spelling of the popular English name Muriel. In Irish, ‘Muir’ means ‘Sea’ while ‘Gheal’ means ‘Bright’.

This is another one that could be nice if you live along the coast, or if you have a particular fondness for the sea.

• Pronunciation: ‘Mwer-e-yaal’
• Meaning: ‘Bright sea’

10. Shauna

Although the name ‘Shauna‘ (‘Shaw-na’) has origins in England, it is regarded as a traditional Irish girls name.

The reason for this is that the name ‘Shauna’ is believed to stem from the boys names ‘Sean’ and ‘Shawn’.

• Pronunciation: ‘Shaw-na’
• Meaning: It means ‘God is gracious’

Popular and Modern Irish Girl Names

The final section contains some of the more modern Irish baby girl names that are popular in 2024.

These are gorgeous Irish names for girls, like Clare and Sinead, that you’ll likely have heard many times before.

1. Clare

This popular name has a variety of origins in different languages, but this spelling is thought to be the Irish variation of the English name ‘Clara’.

The name ‘Clare’ is most often associated with the Irish county of the same name. The county name was in fact taken from the name of a little bridge that was perched at the River Fergus in Clare’s county town, Ennis.

• Pronunciation: ‘Cl-air’
• Meaning: ‘Small bridge’

2. Sinead

Sinead is arguably one of the best known Irish baby girl names names and it has been one of the most popular Irish baby names in recent years.

It’s wonderful meaning, ‘God’s gracious gift’, is arguably the main reason that it is so popular amongst new parents. 

• Pronunciation: ‘Shin-ade’
• Meaning: ‘God’s gracious gift’

3. Oonagh

There are a few different varieties of the name ‘Oonagh‘ (‘Ou-nah’), with the original Irish spelling considered to be ‘Una’. It’s also spelled ‘Oona’.

The name is associated with the Queen of the Fairies and the wife of Fionn Mac Cool in Irish mythology.

• Pronunciation: ‘Ou-nah’
• Meaning: From the Irish word ‘Uan’ which means ‘Lamb’

4. Fionnuala

The name Fionnuala is arguably best-known from its appearance in the legend ‘the Children of Lir‘. ‘Finnguala’, along with her siblings, was cursed by their stepmother and transformed into a swam.

The name, pronounced ‘Fin-oo-lah’, means, quite strangely, ‘White shoulder’. Despite its odd meaning, it’s a very Irish name in both origin and appearance.

• Pronunciation: ‘Fin-oo-lah’
• Meaning: The name literally translates to ‘White shoulder’

5. Shannon

If you’ve spent any time in Ireland, you’ll have likely heard the name ‘Shannon‘, thanks to the mighty River Shannon. However, there’s much more to this name.

‘Shannon’, which translates to ‘Old River’, is linked to the Goddess ‘Sionna’ in Irish mythology (the name ‘Sionna’ means ‘Possessor of Wisdom’).

• Pronunciation: ‘Shan-on’
• Meaning: ‘Old river’ or ‘possessor of wisdom’

6. Meabh

The name ‘Meabh’ is rooted in Irish legend, thanks to the fierce warrior Queen Medb of Connacht who has many great legends tied to here (see the Cattle Raid of Cooley).

However, the meaning of this name is a bit of an odd one. It’s said that ‘Meabh’ means ‘Intoxicating’ or ‘She who intoxicates’, which is a bit strange.

• Pronunciation: ‘May-v’
• Meaning: ‘Intoxicating’

7. Orlaith

Orlaith (or ‘Orla’) is one of the most popular Irish baby girl names.’Órfhlaith’ which, when broken down, means ‘Golden princess’.

It’s not hard to see why this one is popular with new parents, is it?! In Irish legend, Orlaith was the sister of Brian Boru – the High King of Ireland.

• Pronunciation: ‘Or-lah’
• Meaning: ‘Golden princess’

8. Mairead

‘Mairead‘ is considered to be the Irish variation of the name ‘Margaret’. It’s thought that it become popular due to Saint Margaret of Scotland, who was often referred to as the Pearl of Scotland.

However, it has had a more recent revival in its popularity in Ireland and it is easily pronounced (‘Muh-raid’), which makes it popular abroad.

• Pronunciation: ‘Muh-raid’
• Meaning: ‘Pearl’

9. Sorcha

The beautiful name ‘Sorcha‘ (‘Sor-kha’ or ‘Sor-cha’) is believed to have stemmed from an old Irish word, ‘Sorchae’, meaning ‘Brightness’.

So, depending on the person, the way this name is pronounced will vary – I’ve a friend called ‘Sor-ka’. My girlfriend’s sister is called ‘Sur-cha’…

• Pronunciation: ‘Sor-kha’ or ‘Sor-cha’
• Meaning: ‘Bright’ or ‘Brightness’

10. Bronagh

Although it’s a popular name in 2024, ‘Bronagh’ is one of the older irish names for girls. It’s believed to be a modern variation of the name ‘Bronach’, who was a 6th century holy woman.

She was also the Patron Saint of Kilbroney in County Down. However, it’s meaning (‘sad’ or ‘sorrowful’) can put some parents off.

• Pronunciation: ‘Bro-nah’
• Meaning: ‘Sad’ or ‘Sorrowful’