Irish (Gaelic) Girl Names
Irish (Gaelic) female given names come from the Irish language and draw on early saints, medieval history, and pre-Christian literature. Typical features include lenited consonants spelled with h (bh, mh, fh, gh) and long vowels marked by the fada; many feminine forms end in -a or -e, and diminutives may use -ín. Female naming in Irish also shows distinct traditional forms rather than derivations from male names.
Contemporary usage mixes revived Irish-language spellings with Anglicized variants. Examples from this set include Bairbre, Bridie, Caitríne, Fionnghuala, Gormfhlaith, Gormflaith, Medbh, Muirenn, Fenella, and Morrigan.
Showing 39
of 39 names
| Name | Meaning | Origins | Gender | Popularity (last 10y) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyla | From Gaelic 'caol' meaning 'narrow' or 'slender; from the narrows/strait' | Irish (Gaelic), Scottish | Girl | 6,078 #1 | |
| Cayla | Usually treated as a modern variant of Kayla; meanings attributed include "crown/laurel" (Hebrew kelilah) or "beautiful/slender" (Irish Cadhla). | English, Hebrew, Irish (Gaelic) | Girl | 546 #2 | |
| Morrigan | From Old Irish mórrígan, commonly interpreted as 'great queen' (also rendered 'phantom/terror queen'); name of a war/sovereignty goddess in Irish mythology. | Irish, Irish (Gaelic) | Girl | 428 #3 | |
| Murron | Derived from Gaelic roots, likely meaning "sea‑born" or "belonging to the sea" (related to Muireann/Muirne) | Irish (Gaelic), Scottish | Girl | 87 #4 | |
| Rhona | Likely from Gaelic rón 'seal' (related to Rónán, 'little seal') or as a variant of Hebrew Rona meaning 'song' or 'joy'. | Irish (Gaelic), Scottish | Girl | 74 #5 | |
| Bridie | Diminutive of Brigid/Bridget, meaning 'exalted one' or 'power/strength'. | Irish (Gaelic) | Girl | 41 #6 | |
| Saile | Sea; of the sea (alternate/related meaning: willow) | Irish (Gaelic) | Girl | 10 #7 | |
| Aodhnaid | Little fire (diminutive of Aed, 'fire') | Irish, Irish (Gaelic) | Girl | — | |
| Bairbre | Foreign, stranger | Irish (Gaelic) | Girl | — | |
| Blathma | Flower, blossom (diminutive: 'little flower') | Irish, Irish (Gaelic) | Girl | — | |
| Brydgetta | Exalted one; strength, power | Irish (Gaelic) | Girl | — | |
| Caeleana | Likely a feminine form of Caelan - 'slender' (Irish) - or influenced by Latin cael- meaning 'heavenly'; used as a modern invented/variant name. | Irish (Gaelic), Latin | Girl | — | |
| Caitlinn | Pure | Irish (Gaelic) | Girl | — | |
| Caitríne | "pure" (from Greek katharos) | Irish (Gaelic) | Girl | — | |
| Camhlaidh | Derived from 'cam' meaning 'crooked' or 'bent' (possibly 'little crooked one' or a local Gaelic variant) | Irish (Gaelic), Scottish Gaelic | Girl | — | |
| Catrion | Pure | Irish (Gaelic), Scottish | Girl | — | |
| Conelle | Derived from Gaelic elements meaning 'hound/wolf' and 'valor' - roughly 'strong wolf' or 'brave chieftain.' | Irish (Gaelic) | Girl | — | |
| Dierdre (French) | Sorrowful / born of sorrow | Irish (Gaelic) | Girl | — | |
| Donnelle | Ruler of the world | Irish (Gaelic) | Girl | — | |
| Fenella | Fair-shouldered ('fionn' = fair, 'guala' = shoulder) | Irish (Gaelic), Scottish | Girl | — | |
| feona | Fair, white; fair-haired | Irish (Gaelic), Scottish | Girl | — | |
| Fionnghuala | Fair-shouldered (literally 'white/fair shoulder') | Irish, Irish (Gaelic) | Girl | — | |
| Fionnghuinnseach | Derived from Gaelic element fionn 'fair, white' - likely 'fair' or 'fair-haired (one)' | Irish (Gaelic), Scottish | Girl | — | |
| Gormfhlaith | "blue sovereign" or "blue princess" (from gorm = blue + flaith = sovereign/prince/princess) | Irish, Irish (Gaelic) | Girl | — | |
| Gormflaith | Blue sovereign / blue princess (from gorm 'blue' + flaith 'ruler, sovereign') | Irish, Irish (Gaelic) | Girl | — | |
| Gubnat | 'little smith' (diminutive of Goban, related to 'smith') | Irish, Irish (Gaelic) | Girl | — | |
| Inghean | Daughter | Irish, Irish (Gaelic) | Girl | — | |
| Killea | From Gaelic 'Cill Aodha' - 'church of Aodh' (Aodh is a personal name often glossed as 'fire') | Irish (Gaelic) | Girl | — | |
| Kätlin | Pure | Irish (Gaelic) | Girl | — | |
| Mareen | Diminutive of Mary - 'little Mary' (Mary is often interpreted as 'beloved' or 'bitter') | Irish (Gaelic) | Girl | — | |
| McKynleigh | A modern feminine form related to McKinley - ultimately from Gaelic meaning "son/descendant of Finlay" (Finlay = "fair-haired warrior"). | Irish (Gaelic) | Girl | — | |
| Meadghbh | Intoxicating; 'she who intoxicates' (associated with mead) | Irish, Irish (Gaelic) | Girl | — | |
| Medbh | “intoxicating” or “she who intoxicates”; likely linked to mead (honey wine) | Irish, Irish (Gaelic) | Girl | — | |
| Mirne | Peaceful and beloved | Bosnian, Croatian, Irish (Gaelic), Serbian | Girl | — | |
| Muireachan | Diminutive of Muire (Máire/Mary) - 'little Mary' (affectionate) | Irish (Gaelic) | Girl | — | |
| Muirenn | Sea-born; 'belonging to the sea' (from muir 'sea' + suffix) | Irish, Irish (Gaelic) | Girl | — | |
| Nighinn | Girl, daughter | Irish (Gaelic), Scottish Gaelic | Girl | — | |
| Raicheal | Ewe; female sheep (symbolically gentle, pure) | Hebrew, Irish (Gaelic) | Girl | — | |
| Sionagh | Likely 'God is gracious' (probably a Gaelic variant of Siobhán/Joan) | Irish (Gaelic), Scottish | Girl | — |
Irish (Gaelic) Girls name popularity over time
Aggregated births across United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany for every Irish (Gaelic)-origin name in our dataset.
39
Names in this origin
6
With data in 2024
659
Births 2024
2,466
Peak year 2003