Irish parents have chosen more than 1,000 different first names each for boys and girls since 1964. By 1924, the selection of boys’ names remained narrow, with 80 per cent of births sharing just 21 names, compared to 62 names for girls born that year. However, Irish names are much more common today, though the popularity of individual names has varied greatly from one year to the next. In 1874, Mary, Margaret, Bridget and Catherine were the most popular girls’ names. While Sean and Liam have become well known names internationally, other Irish names can cause difficulty for people living abroad – being called Oisín or Saidhbh can pose a problem in placing your Starbucks order.

Source: The Irish Times January 04, 2026 13:59 UTC