Irish Girl Names

Q: Is Fiona an Irish name?

Fiona is Gaelic in origin, from fionn (“fair”), but it was popularized by the Scottish writer James Macpherson in the 18th century. It is used in both Ireland and Scotland.

By the Names.Contact Editorial Team · Updated September 2026 · 90 names

Irish girl names are some of the prettiest in the world — once you know how to say them. Aoife (EE-fa) means “radiance,” Saoirse (SEER-sha) means “freedom,” and Fiadh (FEE-a), Ireland’s fastest-rising girls’ name of the past decade, means “wild.” Many come straight from the old sagas, where queens, goddesses and warrior women took center stage.

Below are 90+ Irish girl names with pronunciation and meanings, from the Gaelic names filling Irish classrooms to the anglicized classics Irish-American families have loved for generations. Pair one with a brother from our Irish boy names, return to the main Irish names guide, or look across the sea at Scottish girl names.

Our top picks: Fiadh, Aoife, Saoirse, Róisín, Niamh, Áine, Clodagh, Orla, Laoise, Nora, Aisling

Popular Gaelic girl names in Ireland

These names are consistently in or near Ireland’s top 100. Accents (the fada) lengthen a vowel, so keep them when you write the name.

Name	Pronunciation	Meaning
Fiadh	FEE-a	“Wild; deer”
Aoife	EE-fa	“Beauty, radiance”
Saoirse	SEER-sha	“Freedom”
Caoimhe	KEE-va	“Gentle, beautiful”
Róisín	roe-SHEEN	“Little rose”
Niamh	NEEV	“Bright, radiant”
Clodagh	KLOH-da	After the River Clodagh
Ciara	KEER-a	“Dark-haired”
Sadhbh	SIVE	“Sweet, good”
Éabha	AY-va	Irish form of Eve, “life”
Aoibhinn	EE-veen	“Radiant, beautiful”
Siún	SHOON	Irish form of Joan, “God is gracious”
Ailbhe	AL-va	Possibly “white”
Síofra	SHEE-fra	“Elf, changeling”
Bláthnaid	BLAW-nid	“Little flower”
Muireann	MWIR-in	“Sea-white”
Laoise	LEE-sha	“Radiant girl”
Cara	KAH-ra	“Friend”
Síne	SHEE-na	Irish form of Jane

Irish girl names from myth and legend

Irish mythology is unusually rich in powerful women, from warrior queens to goddesses of sovereignty. For more divine names, see our goddess names.

Name	Who she was	Meaning
Méabh	Warrior queen of Connacht in the Táin	“She who intoxicates”
Deirdre	Tragic heroine of the Ulster Cycle	Possibly “sorrowful”
Gráinne	Princess who eloped with Diarmuid	Possibly “grain” or “love”
Emer	Clever wife of Cú Chulainn	Meaning uncertain
Étaín	Fairy-queen reborn as a mortal	Possibly “shining” or “jealousy”
Fionnuala	Daughter of Lir, turned into a swan	“Fair shoulder”
Brigid	Goddess of fire, poetry and healing	“Exalted one”
Áine	AWN-ya; goddess of summer and sovereignty	“Radiance, brilliance”
Clíodhna	KLEE-na; queen of the fairy folk	Meaning uncertain
Macha	Horse goddess of Ulster	Possibly “plain, field”
Danu	Mother goddess of the Tuatha Dé Danann	Meaning uncertain
Boann	Goddess of the River Boyne	“White cow”
Scáthach	SKAW-hakh; warrior woman who trained Cú Chulainn	“Shadowy one”
Caer	Swan maiden loved by Aengus	“Yew berry”

Irish saints’ names for girls

Beyond Brigid, early Ireland had many revered women saints; their names are rare today and full of history.

Name	Meaning	Saint
Íde	“Thirst for goodness”	Íde of Killeedy, “foster-mother of the saints”
Gobnait	Possibly “little mouth” or linked to smiths	Patron of beekeepers, Ballyvourney
Dymphna	Possibly “little fawn”	7th-century saint honored at Geel, Belgium
Attracta	Latinized Athracht	Founder of a hospice in Sligo
Lasair	“Flame”	Saint of Leitrim and Roscommon

Irish girl names loved in America

These anglicized Irish names have been part of American life for more than a century. Nora in particular is back in the US top charts (SSA data).

Name	Meaning	Irish original
Nora	“Honor”	Nóra, from Honora
Erin	“Ireland”	Éirinn
Kathleen	Irish form of Katherine, “pure”	Caitlín
Molly	Pet form of Mary	Máire
Maureen	“Little Mary”	Máirín
Shannon	After the River Shannon	Sionainn
Bridget	“Exalted one”	Bríd
Colleen	“Girl”	Cailín
Kelly	Possibly “bright-headed”	Ó Ceallaigh
Kerry	After County Kerry	Ciarraí
Tara	After the Hill of Tara, seat of the high kings	Teamhair
Fiona	From <em>fionn</em>, “fair”	Coined in Scotland from Gaelic
Sheila	Irish form of Cecilia	Síle
Eileen	Irish form of Evelyn or Helen	Eibhlín
Maura	Irish form of Mary	Máire
Moira	Irish form of Mary	Máire
Delaney	“Descendant of the challenger”	Ó Dubhshláine
Reagan	“Little king”	Ó Riagáin
Kennedy	“Helmeted head”	Ó Cinnéide
Rowan	“Little red-haired one”	Ruadhán

Irish girl names with beautiful meanings

Gaelic is full of names for light, flowers and the sea. See also our names that mean light and fairy names for more magic.

Name	Pronunciation	Meaning
Aisling	ASH-ling	“Dream, vision”
Orla	OR-la	“Golden princess”
Grian	GREE-an	“Sun”
Caoilfhionn	KEE-lin	“Slender and fair”
Líadan	LEE-a-dan	“Grey lady”
Béibhinn	BAY-vin	“Fair lady”
Nóinín	NO-neen	“Daisy”
Sláine	SLAWN-ya	“Health”
Ríona	REE-na	“Queenly”
Úna	OO-na	Possibly “lamb”
Eithne	EN-ya	“Kernel”
Treasa	TRAH-sa	“Strength”
Muirne	MUR-nya	“Beloved”
Sorcha	SOR-ka	“Bright, radiant”
Muirgheal	MUR-ee-al	“Sea-bright”
Dáirine	DAW-rin-a	“Fruitful”

Short Irish girl names

Short Gaelic names are easy to spell and carry just as much heritage.

Name	Pronunciation	Meaning
Bríd	BREED	Irish form of Brigid
Síle	SHEE-la	Irish form of Cecilia
Máire	MAW-ra	Irish form of Mary
Cáit	KAWCH	Irish form of Kate
Mór	MORE	“Great”
Neasa	NESS-a	Mother of King Conchobar
Rós	ROHSS	“Rose”
Aoibh	EEV	“Beauty, radiance”

Vintage Irish girl names

These were everyday names for Irish girls born in the mid-1900s, and they have a lovely old-world warmth.

Name	Pronunciation	Meaning
Siobhán	shiv-AWN	Irish form of Joan
Sinéad	shin-AYD	Irish form of Jane
Mairéad	mah-RAYD	Irish form of Margaret, “pearl”
Nuala	NOO-la	Short for Fionnuala, “fair shoulder”
Peig	PEG	Pet form of Margaret
Nollaig	NUL-ig	“Christmas”
Bronagh	BROH-na	“Sorrowful”
Dearbhla	DERV-la	Possibly “daughter of the poet”

How to choose an Irish girl name

Know the spelling rules. “bh” and “mh” usually sound like V, “ao” like EE, and “s” before e or i becomes SH — so Caoimhe is KEE-va and Síne is SHEE-na.
Choose between Gaelic and anglicized. Gráinne or Grania, Aoife or Eva: the Gaelic form honors the language, the anglicized form avoids a lifetime of corrections.
Try it with the surname. Irish first and last names can crowd each other with similar sounds; our Irish last names list helps you test combinations.
Read the story. Deirdre and Fionnuala have heartbreaking legends; Méabh and Scáthach were fearsome warriors. Pick the story you want her to carry.
Look at Celtic cousins. Welsh and Scottish names share much of the same poetry — see Welsh girl names and Celtic girl names.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most popular Irish girl name?

In Ireland, Emily, Grace and Fiadh have led recent rankings, with Fiadh the most popular Gaelic name. In the US, Nora is among the most-used names of Irish origin.

How do you pronounce Aoife?

Aoife is pronounced EE-fa. It means “beauty” or “radiance” and is one of the most popular Gaelic girls’ names.

What Irish girl name means light?

Laoise (“radiant girl”), Niamh (“bright”), Sorcha (“bright, radiant”), Aoibhinn (“radiant”) and Áine (“radiance”) all carry the idea of light.

What are unique Irish girl names?

Síofra, Líadan, Nóinín, Muirgheal, Gobnait and Caer are authentic Gaelic names that remain rare even in Ireland.

Is Fiona an Irish name?

Fiona is Gaelic in origin, from fionn (“fair”), but it was popularized by the Scottish writer James Macpherson in the 18th century. It is used in both Ireland and Scotland.