Irish baby names are hugely popular - and not just with us normal plebs, but with the Hollywood elite in LA and across the pond in Europe.

Of course, despite the fact that the most popular baby names of Irish origin are Kaitlyn, Aidan and Liam (usual names) the Hollywood stars had to go for something different.

Although it must be said that there are humdrum names like Kieran, Aoife and an old-fashioned Malachy in the mix.

So here they are, the Hollywood modern versions of Irish names along with the all-important superstar connection.

GIRLS

1. Keeva

Meaning:  protect, shelter; gentle, beautiful, precious

Variant of: Caoimhe

Hollywood connection:

“How I Met Your Mother” star Alyson Hannigan chose the name to honor her father’s Irish heritage.

Read more: Irish baby first names that are super popular in the US

2. Fiona

Meaning: fair or pale

Variants: Fee, Ffion, Ffiona, Ffyona, Fione, Fionna, and Fyona. 

Hollywood connection:

Fiona Eve is the daughter of “Beverly Hills 90210’s” Jennie Garth and Peter Facinelli.

3. Rowan

Meaning: red-berry tree

A variant of Roanna, Roanne, and Rowen ( can be used for girls or boys).

Hollywood connection:

Brooke Shields named her little girl Rowan back in 2003. The weird thing is she doesn’t have red hair.

4. Ireland

Meaning: Well...Ireland!

Variant of: Usually used as a surname which dates back to the 1200s

Hollywood connection:

Former couple Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger named their little girl Ireland in 1995. Now she’s all grown up and got her first modelling contract.

5. Cara

Meaning: beloved, friend, or dear

Variant of: Caroline, Caragh, Caralin, Kara

Hollywood connection:

Reality TV exes Kate and Jon Gosselin, of “Jon and Kate, Plus Eight” gave this Irish name to one of their twin daughters in 2000.

6. Aoife

Meaning: beautiful, radiant

Variant of: Eve, Aoibh

Hollywood connection:

Aoife is the name of “Game of Thrones” actor Ciaran Hinds’ only daughter. They live in Paris with his wife Helene Patarot.

8. Delaney

Meaning: “offspring of the challenger" or "angel from heaven”

Variant of: Delany

Hollywood connection:

A solid surname that’s now used far more for girls than boys.

9. Maeve

Meaning: Irish goddess and queen name

Hollywood connection:

Chris O’Donnell sticks close to his Irish roots in naming his children. Along with Maeve, he has another boy called Finley.

10. Tallulah

Variant of: Tuilelaith

Meaning: Abundance, lady, or princess

Hollywood connection:

This one is super popular with Patrick Dempsey, Simon LeBon, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Damon Dash, Demi Moore and Bruce Willis all naming their little princesses Tallulah.

BOYS

1. Cayden

Meaning: companion

A variant of Caden or Kaden.

Kevin Costner chose this strong Irish moniker for his third son, in 2007.

2. Beckett

Meaning: Battle

A variant of a surname associated with Samuel Beckett and Saint Thomas Beckett, it’s now being used as a Christian name.

Hollywood connection:

Malcolm MacDowell, Melissa Etheridge, Conan O’Brien, and Stella McCartney all have little boys named Beckett.

3. Malachy

Meaning: messenger of God

Variant of: Malachie

Hollywood connection:

Cork-born “Batman” and “Wind that Shakes Barley” star Cillian Murphy named one of his sons Malachy.

4. Finnigan

Meaning: Fair

Variant of: Finn

Hollywood connection:

“Will and Grace” star Eric McCormack, despite his Scottish-Canadian roots, gave his son this Irish name.

5. Darby

Meaning: without envy or park with deer

Variant of: Derby

Hollywood connection:

“Grey’s Anatomy” heartthrob and father-of-three, Patrick Dempsey named one of his twins, born in 2007, Darby, along with his brother Sullivan.

6. Cashel

Meaning: castle, stone fort

A variant of none. Name of an Irish place, the Rock of Cashel

Hollywood connection:

Record breaking Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis named his County Wicklow born son Cashel, along with his brother Ronan.

7. Rafferty

Meaning:  abundance, prosperity

Variant of: Raferty, Raffarty and Raffertey

Hollywood connection:

Who could be more prosperous than the son of Jude Law and Sadie Frost.

8. Flynn

Meaning: son of the red-haired one

Variant of: Flann, Flin, Flinn and Flyn

Hollywood connection:

We’re not sure if they looked this one up but neither Orlando Bloom nor Miranda Kerr has red hair! Oh well.

9. Kieran

Meaning:  little dark one

Variant of: Ciaran

Hollywood connection:

“The Good Wife” star Julianna Margulies went for this popular Irish name and it was no surprise when she was spotted with her son and his head full of dark curls.

10. Gulliver

Meaning: glutton

Variant of: a rare Gaelic surname, commonly known from Jonathan Swift’s “Gulliver’s Travels”

Hollywood connection:

“Batman” commissioner Gary Oldman and “Homeland” star Damien Lewis have both gone with this Irish name.

Source - Babble.com, NameBerry.com.

* Originally published in 2013.