GIRLS NAMES
A
Aine (Aawn-ya) - Meaning: joy or praise.
Ailbhe (Alva) - From the English, Olive.
Aisling (Ashlin) - Meaning: dreamlike.
Afric (Af-rik) - Female of Aifric. Meaning ‘pleasant’.
Alana or Alannah - Meaning: o child.
Aoibheann (Eevan) - Meaning ‘fair form’.
Aoife (Eefa) - The name of the daughter of King Dermot of Leinster
Asthore - The Irish ‘a stoir’, loved one.
Attracta - The name of a county Sligo saint.
Aurnia (Ornee-a) - Derivative of Orla.
Avril - Meaning April.
B
Banba - After and early Irish goddess.
Barran - After an Irish saint and meaning little top.
Breghetta (Brehetta) - The name of a heroine of one of William Parnell, Knight of the Shire for Wicklow.
Bernadette - After St. Bernadette. Feminine of Bernard.
Berneen, Bernadine, Beatha - Meaning life.
Briana (Bree-anna) - Feminine form of Brian.
Bridget (Brid-jet) - After St. Bridget. Meaning high one. Also: Breda (Bree-da), Bridie (Bri-dee), Brid (Breedj)
Bronagh (Brona) - Meaning ‘sorrow’.
C
Cailin (Kai-leen) - Anglisised as Colleen. Meaning girl.
Caoimhe (Kweeva) - After St. Caoimhe. Meaning grace and beauty.
Carmel - Widely used in Ireland. Meaning the garden.
Caitlin (Cautch-lin) - Irish of Catherine. Anglified as Kathleen. Meaning strong. Also: Cait (Cautch), Catriona (Katree-ona)
Clar (Clahr) - After St. Clare. Meaning bright. Also: Claire, Clare
Clodagh (Clo-dah) - The name of a river in Tipperary.
Colette(Col-ette) - Feminine of Nicholas.
Concepta (Consepta) - After the Immaculate Conception.
Cuman (Come-an) - After the Irish Saint Cuman, the sister of St. Comcille. Also: Cumania (Come-an-i-a)
D
Dana - After an Irish pagan goddess.
Darerca (Dar-er-cha) - After St. Darerca, the sister of St. Patrick, and mother of nineteen children.
Deirdre (Deerdra) - After an Irish heroine. Meaning one who rages. Also: Dee
Dearbhla (Dervla) - Meaning ‘true desire’.
Dolores (Dol-ores) - After The Blessed Virgin, sometimes referred to as Mary of the Sorrows (in Spanish: Maria de los Dolores).
Dominica - After St. Dominica.
Dubheasa (Duveesa) - Meaning dark beauty.
Dymphna (Dimp-na) - After St. Dympna. Meaning ‘befitted’. Also: Dympna
E
Eibhilin (Evelin) -
Eilis (Ay-lish) - From Letitia. Meaning joy.
Eimhear (Eemer) - After the wife of Cuchulainn, a legendary Irish hero.
Erin - The Irish word for Ireland
Etain - In Irish legend she was the lover of the fairy man. Also: Aideen
Eithne (Ethna) - Feminine of Aiden.
F
Finnuala (Finoula) - The Irish version of the Scottish name, Fenella. Meaning flower. Also: Nuala (Nooala), Blath (Blaa), Blanthnaid (Blanad)
Fidelma -
G
Grainne (Grawn-ya) - A name used in Celtic mythology.
H
Hanorah - Meaning honour. Also: Hannah, Anne, Nora.
M
Maire (Ma-ray) - After The Blessed Virgin or St. Margaret. Also: Muire (Muyra), Mairead (May-rade), Maura (Maw-ra)
Majella - After St. Gerard Majella.
Martina - Feminine form of Martin. After St. Martin.
Meadbhe (May-v) - After Queen Maeve.
N
Niamh (Neeve) - From Niamh of the Golden Hair. Meaning brightness.
Nollaig (Nu-lug) - Meaning: 'Christmas'.
Nora - From Hanorah. Meaning honour. Also: Norah, Nonie, Noreen, Hannah.
P
Patricia - Feminine of Patrick. After St. Patrick. Meaning nobel.
Paula - Feminine of Paul. After St. Paul.
Philomena (Fil-omneena) - After St. Philomena. Meaning loved.
R
Ranalt - After the wife of the last king of Connach, Hugh O’Connor.
Riona (Reeona) - Irish of Regina. Meaning queen.
Rosin (Row-shine) - An Irish form of Rose.
S
Sadhbh (Sive) - Ancient name meaning goodness. Also: Sally, Sophie.
Shauna - Feminine of Shaun.
Slaine (Slaan-ia) - Meaning ‘health’. Anglicised into Sarah.
Sile (Sheila) - Derived from the name Celia.
Sinead (Shinaid) - Irish form of Jane. Feminine of John.
Siobhan (Shivon) - Irish form of Joan. Feminine form of John.
Sorcha (Sorka) - Old Irish name from Sarah or Sally. Meaning clear and bright.
T
Tara - From the Hill of Tara, seat of the ancient Irish kings.
Toireasa (Trasa) - After St. Teresa of Lisieux. Also: Teresa, Theresa,Tracy.
U
Ulicia (Ooli-chia) - Feminine form of Ulik.
Una (Oona) - Irish form of Winifred. Meaning friend peace. Also: Oona, Oonagh.
V
Vanessa - A name invented by the Irish author, Jonathan Swift.
Z
Zaira - A name invented by the Irish writer, C.R. Maturin
A
Aine (Aawn-ya) - Meaning: joy or praise.
Ailbhe (Alva) - From the English, Olive.
Aisling (Ashlin) - Meaning: dreamlike.
Afric (Af-rik) - Female of Aifric. Meaning ‘pleasant’.
Alana or Alannah - Meaning: o child.
Aoibheann (Eevan) - Meaning ‘fair form’.
Aoife (Eefa) - The name of the daughter of King Dermot of Leinster
Asthore - The Irish ‘a stoir’, loved one.
Attracta - The name of a county Sligo saint.
Aurnia (Ornee-a) - Derivative of Orla.
Avril - Meaning April.
B
Banba - After and early Irish goddess.
Barran - After an Irish saint and meaning little top.
Breghetta (Brehetta) - The name of a heroine of one of William Parnell, Knight of the Shire for Wicklow.
Bernadette - After St. Bernadette. Feminine of Bernard.
Berneen, Bernadine, Beatha - Meaning life.
Briana (Bree-anna) - Feminine form of Brian.
Bridget (Brid-jet) - After St. Bridget. Meaning high one. Also: Breda (Bree-da), Bridie (Bri-dee), Brid (Breedj)
Bronagh (Brona) - Meaning ‘sorrow’.
C
Cailin (Kai-leen) - Anglisised as Colleen. Meaning girl.
Caoimhe (Kweeva) - After St. Caoimhe. Meaning grace and beauty.
Carmel - Widely used in Ireland. Meaning the garden.
Caitlin (Cautch-lin) - Irish of Catherine. Anglified as Kathleen. Meaning strong. Also: Cait (Cautch), Catriona (Katree-ona)
Clar (Clahr) - After St. Clare. Meaning bright. Also: Claire, Clare
Clodagh (Clo-dah) - The name of a river in Tipperary.
Colette(Col-ette) - Feminine of Nicholas.
Concepta (Consepta) - After the Immaculate Conception.
Cuman (Come-an) - After the Irish Saint Cuman, the sister of St. Comcille. Also: Cumania (Come-an-i-a)
D
Dana - After an Irish pagan goddess.
Darerca (Dar-er-cha) - After St. Darerca, the sister of St. Patrick, and mother of nineteen children.
Deirdre (Deerdra) - After an Irish heroine. Meaning one who rages. Also: Dee
Dearbhla (Dervla) - Meaning ‘true desire’.
Dolores (Dol-ores) - After The Blessed Virgin, sometimes referred to as Mary of the Sorrows (in Spanish: Maria de los Dolores).
Dominica - After St. Dominica.
Dubheasa (Duveesa) - Meaning dark beauty.
Dymphna (Dimp-na) - After St. Dympna. Meaning ‘befitted’. Also: Dympna
E
Eibhilin (Evelin) -
Eilis (Ay-lish) - From Letitia. Meaning joy.
Eimhear (Eemer) - After the wife of Cuchulainn, a legendary Irish hero.
Erin - The Irish word for Ireland
Etain - In Irish legend she was the lover of the fairy man. Also: Aideen
Eithne (Ethna) - Feminine of Aiden.
F
Finnuala (Finoula) - The Irish version of the Scottish name, Fenella. Meaning flower. Also: Nuala (Nooala), Blath (Blaa), Blanthnaid (Blanad)
Fidelma -
G
Grainne (Grawn-ya) - A name used in Celtic mythology.
H
Hanorah - Meaning honour. Also: Hannah, Anne, Nora.
M
Maire (Ma-ray) - After The Blessed Virgin or St. Margaret. Also: Muire (Muyra), Mairead (May-rade), Maura (Maw-ra)
Majella - After St. Gerard Majella.
Martina - Feminine form of Martin. After St. Martin.
Meadbhe (May-v) - After Queen Maeve.
N
Niamh (Neeve) - From Niamh of the Golden Hair. Meaning brightness.
Nollaig (Nu-lug) - Meaning: 'Christmas'.
Nora - From Hanorah. Meaning honour. Also: Norah, Nonie, Noreen, Hannah.
P
Patricia - Feminine of Patrick. After St. Patrick. Meaning nobel.
Paula - Feminine of Paul. After St. Paul.
Philomena (Fil-omneena) - After St. Philomena. Meaning loved.
R
Ranalt - After the wife of the last king of Connach, Hugh O’Connor.
Riona (Reeona) - Irish of Regina. Meaning queen.
Rosin (Row-shine) - An Irish form of Rose.
S
Sadhbh (Sive) - Ancient name meaning goodness. Also: Sally, Sophie.
Shauna - Feminine of Shaun.
Slaine (Slaan-ia) - Meaning ‘health’. Anglicised into Sarah.
Sile (Sheila) - Derived from the name Celia.
Sinead (Shinaid) - Irish form of Jane. Feminine of John.
Siobhan (Shivon) - Irish form of Joan. Feminine form of John.
Sorcha (Sorka) - Old Irish name from Sarah or Sally. Meaning clear and bright.
T
Tara - From the Hill of Tara, seat of the ancient Irish kings.
Toireasa (Trasa) - After St. Teresa of Lisieux. Also: Teresa, Theresa,Tracy.
U
Ulicia (Ooli-chia) - Feminine form of Ulik.
Una (Oona) - Irish form of Winifred. Meaning friend peace. Also: Oona, Oonagh.
V
Vanessa - A name invented by the Irish author, Jonathan Swift.
Z
Zaira - A name invented by the Irish writer, C.R. Maturin