Top 10 most popular baby names for boys in Ireland and what they mean
By Brendan McDaid
Published 17th Jun 2024, 16:44 BST
Updated 17th Jun 2024, 18:16 BST
The ten most popular boys’ names for children born in Ireland last year included some surprises, showcasing the revival in parents opting for gaelic names. But what do those names mean?
Here we present the top ten boys’ names from 2023 with some detail about their origin.
Just missing out on the top ten names chosen for baby boys were the first names Finn, Conor, Charlie, Seán, Michael, Leo and Theo.
The name Oísin makes it to number 5 and is the second most popular name of Irish origin for boys. It means little deer or fawn in Irish. Pictured is jockey Oisin Murphy at Kempton Park Racecourse on April 06, 2024 in Sunbury, England. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)Photo: Alan Crowhurst
The name Fionn is also of Irish origin, with one of Ireland's most famous legendary figures, warrior giant Fionn McCool proudly bearing this ancient name. Fionn means fair or white haired. Pictured is Finn McCool at the Giants Causeway in Co Antrim. Picture Colm Lenaghan/ PacemakerPhoto: Martin McKeown
Another Irish name in the top 10 is Tadhg and it too finds its origins back through the mists of time in Ancient Ireland, with the name meaning 'storyteller' or 'poet'. Pictured is Tadgh Furlong of Ireland during the Guinness Summer Series match between Ireland and Wales at Aviva Stadium back in 2019 in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)Photo: Charles McQuillan
The name Liam can also be traced back to the impressive, if not so popular, Irish name 'Uiliam' meaning 'warrior' 'strong willed' 'protector' or 'helmet of will'. It is also popular beyond these shores as a shortened version of the name William which is of Germanic origin. Pictured is Irish actor Liam Neeson. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.Photo: Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye
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