The most popular Irish baby names in America

Here's a list of Irish boy names and Irish girl names commonly found in America. 

Aidan, Brayden, Colin, Riley, Kayla, Morgan, Megan, Kaitlyn - you've probably come across a newborn in the past decade with at least one of these names.

What do they all have in common? These top names in the US all have Irish roots.

For example, the trendy name "Aidan" is the Anglicization of the Gaelic word Aodhán, meaning "little fire," while "Kayla" is a modern creation inspired by the Irish man's name Cadhla, meaning "slender."

If you're an expectant parent looking for an Irish name, or if you just want to figure out what your own name means, you've come to the right place.

We've done all the hard work of gathering the top Irish names in America into one place. All you have to do is sit back and choose one, or two ...

Irish boy names:

Ryan

An anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Ríain, meaning "descendent of the little king."

Brandon

An anglicization of Breanainn, which possibly means "sword." Also, an English surname meaning "hilltop."

Logan

From the Irish surname O'Loughan, often mistranslated to mean "duck," which comes from the similar-sounding Gaelic word "lacha"; the surname, however, is of Scottish Gaelic descent and means "from the hollow" or "small hollow." 

Austin

An anglicization of the name Aghaistín, the Irish form of Augustine, a Latin name meaning "great" or "magnificent."

Kevin

An anglicization of the Irish name Caoimhín, meaning "beautiful birth."

Connor

The modern form of the Irish name Conchobhar, meaning "dog lover." Usually spelled Conor in Ireland.

Kyle

An anglicization of the Irish word "coill" meaning "woods." More commonly used in Scotland, where it is from a place name meaning "narrow."

Aidan

The anglicization of Aodhán, meaning "little fire."

Brian

An anglicization of the Irish name Brion, meaning "noble."

Sean

The Irish form of John, which means "gift from God."

Owen

Usually a Welsh name. It can be an Anglicization of the Irish names Eoin ( a form of John) and Eoghan, meaning "born of the yew."

Cody

An anglicization of the Irish surname of Norman origin, Mac Óda, meaning "descendant of Otto."

Patrick

Ireland's patron saint's name, which is Latin for "noble." Padraic is the Irish variant.

Brayden

An anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Bradaoin, meaning "salmon."

Tristan

A Celtic name whose meaning has been debated, but possibly means "tumult" or "uproar."

Colin

Can be either an Anglicization of Coilean, an Irish name meaning "whelp," or Cóilín, an Irish short form of Nicholas.

Riley

Riley is an English surname meaning "rye field," or an Anglicization of the Irish surname O'Reilly, or Ó Raghaillaigh, meaning "descendant of Raghaillaigh," an Irish chieftain.

Liam

The shortened form of Uilliam, the Irish form of William, a Germanic name made of two words meaning "desire" and "protection."

Caden

An anglicization of the Irish surname MacAodháin, or possibly a name from the Irish name Cathán, meaning "battle."

Oscar

An anglicization of Osgar, meaning "deer lover."

Brady

A name meaning "spirited," and an Anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Bradaigh.

Alan

An anglicization of the Irish name Ailín, meaning "handsome."

Brendan

An anglicization of Breandán/Breannain (a major Irish saint), meaning "prince."

Nolan 

An anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Nualláin, derived from "nuall," which means "nobleman."

Donovan

Celtic name meaning "strong fighter."

Corey

An anglicization of the Irish surname Mac Gothraidh, from a place name meaning "hill hollow."

Brody

Usually Scottish, this name can also be an Anglicization of the Irish surname Mac Bruaideadha, which comes from an Irish place name meaning "ditch."

Miles

An anglicization of "Maol," the beginning of Irish names, meaning "devotee of (insert saint here)."

Griffin

Usually a Welsh name, but it can be an Anglicization of the Irish name Críofán or of the Irish surname Ó Gríobhtha, meaning "descendant of the griffin-like."

Keegan

An anglicization of the Irish surname Mac Aodhgáin, "Aodhagán" meaning "small and passionate" or "fiery."

Brennan

An anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Braonáin, meaning "descendant of Braonáin"; "Braonáin" can also mean "sorrow."

Quinn

An anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Cuinn, meaning "descendant of Conn." "Conn" means "leader" or "chief."        

Micheal

The Irish form of Michael, meaning "Who is like God."

Declan

A form of the name Deaglán, an Irish saint's name of obscure meaning.

Dorian

Although it is based on the name Dora, which has no Irish roots, the name was coined by Irish playwright Oscar Wilde for his book, "The Portrait of Dorian Gray."

Irish girl names:

Brianna

The modern feminine form of Brian, an Anglicization of the Irish name Brion, meaning "noble."

Kayla

Likely a modern creation, it is similar to the Irish male name Cadhla, meaning "slender."

Anna

Typically considered a Latin name, but Ana is also an ancient Celtic goddess known as the "Wealth Provider."

Megan

Though, technically, not a Celtic name (it's a Welsh pet form of Margaret), it is similar to the Irish surname O'Meegan, meaning "descendant of the brave warrior."

Kaitlyn

An American form of the Irish name Caitlín, which in turn is the Irish version of Catherine.

Makayla

Another modern creation, possibly stemming from the Irish man's name "Cadhla," meaning slender.

Kaylee

This name is a modern invention based on the names Kay and Lee, but it also sounds like "céilí," the Irish word for "a gathering".

Kylie

Usually considered an Australian Aboriginal name meaning "boomerang," but like the name Kayla, it is also a form of Kiley, an Anglicization of the Irish name Cadhla, meaning "slender."

Riley

Riley is an English surname meaning "rye field", but it is also an Anglicization of the Irish surname O'Reilly (Irish: Ó Raghaillaigh), meaning "descendant of Raghaillaigh," an Irish chieftain.

Erin

A poetic name for Ireland. The name is not usually used in Ireland, but it has recently gained popularity in the North.

Claire

This is a French name meaning "clear," but "Clare," an alternate spelling, is a county in Ireland.

Molly

The Irish pet form of Mary, or Mallaidh in Irish, that means "star of the sea."

Kennedy

An anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Cinnéide, meaning "helmet head."

Kelly

An anglicization of the Irish surname "Ó Ceallaigh," which possibly means "brave warrior."

Cassidy

An anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Casaide, which has an obscure meaning, but may translate to "clever" or "curly-headed."

Ashlyn

An anglicization of the Irish name Aislinn (or Aisling), meaning "dream" or "vision."

Kiara

A form of Ciara, pronounced "KEE a ra," an Irish name meaning "dark." Often pronounced "see-Ahr-a" in the U.S.

Reagan

An anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Ríagáin, which comes from "sovereign" or "king."

Delaney

An anglicization of the Irish surname "Ó Dubhshláine," meaning "descendant of the dark-haired man of the River Slaney."

Alana

The feminine form of the name Alan, which means "handsome." Also an Anglicization of "a leanbh," an Irish term of endearment meaning "O child."

Mckenna

An anglicization of the Irish surname MacCionnaith, interpreted as both "ardent love" and "fire sprung."

Brenda

The feminine form of the Irish name Brendan, an Anglicization of the Irish saint Breandán/Breannain, whose name means "prince."

Shannon

An area and river in Ireland that possibly means "little wise one."

Kara

A form of Cara, the Irish word for "friend."

Kira

Another Anglicization of Ciara, an Irish name meaning "dark."

Kathleen

Yet another Anglicization of the Irish Caitlín, a form of Catherine.

Bridget

A from the Irish name Brighid, meaning "exalted one." St. Brigid is a patron saint of Ireland.

Patricia

This is the feminine form of Patrick, Ireland's patron saint's name, which is Latin for "noble."

Shayla

A modern Anglicization of the Irish name Síle, meaning "blind." Also Anglicized as "Sheila."

Tara

An anglicization of the old Irish name Teamhair, which means "eminence" or "distinction." Also the name of the ancient hill in Co. Meath was the center of pagan activity.

Brenna

A modern feminine form of the name Brennan, an Anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Braonáin, that can mean "sorrow."

Logan

A unisex name, derived from the Irish surname O'Loughan, often mistranslated to mean "duck," which comes from the similar-sounding Gaelic word "lacha"; the surname, however, is of Scottish Gaelic descent and means "from the hollow" or "small hollow." 

Fiona

An Irish name (spelled Fíona) pronounced as "Feena," meaning "vine."

Ryan

The feminine Anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Ríain, meaning "descendent of the little king."

Aileen

An anglicization of the Irish name Aibhilín/Eibhilín, an Irish form of Evelyn or Helen which can mean "bright light."

* Originally published in 2013. Updated in September 2022.