The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has unveiled what has the topped the poll of Irish baby names in 2019. Unsurprisingly the top names are once again Jack and Emily.
Jack has held the top spot since 2007 except for 2016 when James was the most popular name and Emily has been the most popular name for baby girls since 2011. Jack, James, Conor and Daniel have been in the top five boys’ names since 2007.
‘Emily retains the top spot for girls, followed by Grace, Fiadh, Sophie and Hannah. These were the top five names of choice by parents for their newly arrived baby girls in 2019’ Carol Anne Hennessy, Statistician at the CSO said.
‘This publication will, for the second consecutive year, distinguish names registered in 2019 which contain the síneadh fada and other diacritics’ Carol Anne added. Fiadh and Hannah were new entrants to the top five and Amelia dropped out of the top five this year having been there since 2015.
Eli, Joey, Odhrán (with a síneadh fada) and Ruairí were new entrants to the top 100 for boys in 2019. Odhrán was also the boys’ name that increased most in popularity between 2018 to 2019, he moved up the ranks from 138th place in 2018 to 97th in 2019.
There were two new entrants to the top 100 for girls: Doireann and Méabh (with síneadh fada). Alexandra, Heidi and Hollie were the girls’ names growing most in popularity.
Jack was the most popular name for baby boys in all provinces in 2019. Tadhg was ranked 8th nationally but held the top spot in Co. Waterford. Luke was ranked 9th nationally yet was the most favoured boy’s name in Roscommon. Cavan’s most popular boy’s name was Rían while it was ranked in 20th place nationally. Jamie was the name most often chosen in Donegal.
Ellie was favourite in South Dublin whereas Ella ranked 9th nationally but was the most popular in Monaghan while it shared first place with Emily in Donegal. Caoimhe ranked 17th nationally was the most popular name in Sligo. Éabha, Mia and Aoife were tops in Leitrim.
In Clare, Ava was the most favoured girls’ name. whereas Anna, ranked 19th nationally, was the most popular name in Offaly. In Roscommon, it was a tie for first place with Katie, Lucy and Chloe all sharing top spot. Emma was the girls’ name most often selected in Kilkenny.
Some less popular names for boys included Teidí, Saul, Dexter and Ruán. Less popular girls’ names included Féile, Jorja, Kyrah and Constance.