Irish
Irish: name meaning, origin and popularity
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈaɪɹɪʃ/ · /ˈaɪəɹɪʃ/
Meaning and origin of Irish
Root meaning: “Irishmen”
- A female given name of chiefly Philippine usage.
Etymology
From Middle English Irish (12th c.), from Old English *Īrisċ, from Old English Īras (“Irishmen”), from Old Norse Írar, from Old Irish Ériu (modern Irish Éire (“Ireland”)), further origin heavily debated but probably from Proto-Celtic *Φīweriyū (“fat land, fertile”), from Proto-Indo-European *péyh₂wr̥ (“fat, swelling”), from *peyh₂- (“to swell; to be fat”), akin to Ancient Greek πῑ́ειρα (pī́eira, “fertile land”), Sanskrit पीव॑री (pī́varī, “fat”).
How popular is Irish?
Since 1880, 1,453 girls and 155 boys in the U.S. have been named Irish (90% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #1798 in 1960. Its highest rank for boys was #3095 in 1965. In 2025, 6 babies were given the name, outside the top 1,000.
Names similar to Irish
Names that start with the same letters, most popular first.
More English girl names
Sibling name ideas for Irish
Sister and brother names that share Irish's English roots and are still in the U.S. top 1,000.
Irish FAQ
What does the name Irish mean?
Irish traces back to a root meaning "Irishmen". A female given name of chiefly Philippine usage. From Middle English Irish (12th c.), from Old English *Īrisċ, from Old English Īras (“Irishmen”), from Old Norse Írar, from Old Irish Ériu (modern Irish Éire (“Ireland”)), further origin heavily debated but probably from Proto-Celtic *Φīweriyū (“fat land, fertile”), from Proto-Indo-European *péyh₂wr̥ (“fat, swelling”), from *peyh₂- (“to swell; to be fat”), akin to Ancient Greek πῑ́ειρα (pī́eira, “fertile land”), Sanskrit पीव॑री (pī́varī, “fat”).
What is the origin of the name Irish?
Irish is listed as a name of English origin.
How popular is the name Irish?
Since 1880, 1,453 girls and 155 boys in the U.S. have been named Irish (90% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #1798 in 1960. Its highest rank for boys was #3095 in 1965. In 2025, 6 babies were given the name, outside the top 1,000.
Is Irish a boy or girl name?
Irish is mostly a girl name in the U.S.: 1,453 girls and 155 boys since 1880.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2025 (names given to 5+ babies per year). Origin and etymology text: Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.